Your Future on the Doorstep
by AuntiePanda
Summary: It's the summer before Edward is preparing to leave for college to start his future career in music when a very different kind of future is literally left lying on his doorstep. **On hiatus until further notice : **
1. Mine or Yours?

**Chapter one has been edited by my two lovely amazingly awesome betas :D :D xXMoonyeenXx and spinner-extraordinaire (used to be bellabriggs) :D They are actually amazing :D And I love both of them loads for helping me :D **

**Abbie :)**

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Chapter One**

'Mine or Yours?'

**Bella.**

I couldn't take him or any of his shit any longer. I felt tears pickling at the back of my eyes at what my step dad has just said to me. He had no right to talk to me like that. He wasn't my dad; he was only in my life because for some unknown reason my demented mother had chosen to marry him. If only my brother, Emmett hadn't pissed off with that blonde a minute ago, he would've shut Phil up. I still couldn't understand why he hated me so much; I hadn't done anything to him. Dick head!

I couldn't even remember how our argument a moment ago had started but he'd ended up calling me a whore. Seriously, of all the insults available I couldn't understand why he'd chosen that one. I was not a whore, not even slightly. I'd only lost my virginity a few weeks ago and I'd been with my boyfriend nearly four months before that had happened plus we'd only actually had sex twice.

Wish I hadn't broken up with Jake now; he'd been even more protective of me than Emmett and probably would've probably punched Phil for calling me that. But neither Jake nor Em was here to fight for me and I wouldn't just stand by and let him get away with insulting me, so I slapped him; hard.

Unfortunately mom must've been watching as I lashed out at her precious Phil because she rushed over and after checking he was ok, proceeded to slap me back; hard. I winced as her hand collided with my cheek. The tears that had threatened me earlier began to fall. Mom would never have laid a finger on me before she met him.

I hated what was happening to my family. We were already divided up across the country. My dad and my brother lived in Washington State, in the tiny town where mom and dad had both grown up, while mom and I lived in Arizona. Well, we had lived in Arizona until mom had decided she wanted to travel with Phil and now because I was only sixteen I'd had to make a decision; go with them or go to live with my gran.

Not a very tough decision really, I couldn't wait to be shot of them both. I loved gran; I was in part, named after to her, her name was my middle name. I wanted so much to just leave. Right now, walk out the door and leave my shitty life behind. So I did, without saying a word to my mom I turned away from her, grabbed my bag up from the table and left her wedding party. I wasn't exactly celebrating her marriage anyway.

The tears that had threatened to fall earlier spilled over and began to cascade down my cheeks. I slipped out the double doors and found myself in standing in the reception area, the receptionist was absent from her desk which was a bloody good thing since I was now practically sobbing. I would not be able to handle some air head trying to offer me comfort I didn't want; I wandered around the desk and slide down onto the floor beside it.

I dragged my knees up so that they were flush against my chest before leaning down and resting my forehead against them. My styled curly hair formed a curtain around my face as I cried into the bare skin of my kneecaps. I could feel my bridesmaids dress slipping down my thighs but at the moment I didn't care. I didn't get to sit and cry alone like I'd hoped mere minutes after I sat down I felt a presence beside me.

I looked up and turned as soon as I noticed it. The sight that met my eyes was simply mesmerizing, a pair of sparkling green eyes were looking right into mine. I was practically counting the different shades of green in the strangers eyes before I mentally slapped myself and instead gave the stranger a very sly, quick once over.

He was clearly a guest at the other wedding being held at the Hilton today. I hadn't seen him at my mom's party I would remember if I had, and he was dressed in a smart, expensive looking tux. He had a head of messy auburn hair, that stood up in different angles and his body was clearly muscular but not so much that he looked like my brother. His facial features were masculine and his eyes dazzling, in one word; gorgeous.

Well he was attractive until I spotted two open beer bottles in his hand. It was same brand of beer that my dad, Charlie and my brother always drank. There were two things wrong with that beer; one it reminded me of Charlie which was something I didn't want to have on my mind while he was near me. Two, he had two of them meaning he had probably wandered off from his party to hook up. If he thought a free beer would get me into his bed he was very wrong.

"Can I help you?"  
I snapped the tears slowing but not completely stopping. His response confirmed that he was looking to get some action, a very sexy, crooked grin spread across his face.

"I dunno, Can you?"  
I had to admit it was pretty tempting to say yes and drag him upstairs but hadn't I just been telling myself that I wasn't a slut, and taking a stranger upstairs very much qualified as slutty behavior. I found myself glaring at him for being so damn tempting, maybe this was how Eve felt just before she took the forbidden fruit but I wouldn't take his bait. I did possess the strength to say no to sex, I'd done it before and I could do it again. I would say no again if he suggested it. Well… I hoped I would.

**Edward.**

Music blared out of huge black speakers which kept me from falling down asleep through the crushing boredom I was currently experiencing. Problem was there were no hot girls, well none that I could see. That's why I'm not a fan of weddings since the people in attendance are generally your family; your cousins, second cousins and whatnot. Meaning you can't even flirt with any of them, fit or otherwise.

I rose up from the table my sixth beer in hand. I drank the last of its contents and feeling hopeful as to the outcome of my mission to find a good-looking girl, I grabbed two more from the bar on my way to the door. I noticed my mom looking at me, as I moved around the tables; her disappointment in me showing on her face. She knew what I was doing because she'd seen it before. She knew me well, very well in fact.

It had just been me and her growing up; my dad had left off when I'd still been a few cells. It hadn't been so bad growing up without a dad, she'd always done the best she possibly could for me. Now though she was under the impression that not having a father figure had screwed me up and made me the person I am now.

But I liked who I was. I was exactly the kind of man I wanted to be. Beside's what man, in his right mind, would turn down a life like mine. A new woman in my bed every other day, what was so wrong with that? Another reason why I dislike weddings, I don't see a point to them. Why get married when you can have sex without a ring involved nowadays?

I'd been to so many weddings in the past couple of years. My mom's wedding being one of them; she'd got married last year to a guy called Carlisle Cullen. Her marriage had bothered me at the time, but Carlisle wasn't a bad man not in the least and I truly liked and approved of him.

It was more the fact that by marrying him my mom had acquired two more children and me two siblings. Rosalie and Jasper were their names, 20 and 22 were their ages making me the youngest at 18; it bothered me a lot being the youngest. I liked Jasper and I liked Rose, we got on alright bug that wasn't the issue I just despised being known as the youngest Cullen even though technically I wasn't a Cullen, my mom was.

Both my step siblings were dancing with their chosen partners. Jasper with his new wife Alice both of them looking so happy it was actually rather nauseating to witness. Rose with a guy I vaguely recognized as Emmett Swan, though what he was doing here when he'd said he couldn't make it I didn't know but they both looked pretty happy together. I felt mom's gaze move off me and soon she and Carlisle were joining my step-siblings on the dance floor.

With no intention of joining them at any point I continued on my mission and left the hall. The sudden silence of the reception area was in a strange way deafening, it was eerily quiet out here compared to the noise level inside the hall.

I instantly looked over toward the desk and found no one standing behind it. Damn! Receptionists were as a general rule, very easy and from how the woman had acted earlier towards me and Jasper she was clearly no exception to that rule.

A little sniffling noise suddenly pierced the bubble of silence that surrounded the reception area. My feet moved towards the sound of their own accord and I found myself walking around the half moon shaped desk only to find a very distressed looking brunette. Her long curly hair fell around her, hiding her face from my view.

I wasn't good in situations like this and even though I knew that, I find myself yet again moving towards her rather backing away, like my head was telling me too. I slid down the side of desk making it so I was now sitting on the carpet beside her.

She turned instantly to look at me, her eyes were gorgeous; the color of milk chocolate and they showed only curiosity to my presence. Her delicately featured face was just as beautiful and my eyes couldn't help but find her irresistible rose pink lips. My attention was drawn away from staring at her lips when they opened and she spoke.

"Can I help you?" was the first thing she said to me. You could hear the tears clearly in her voice, as clearly as you could see them running down her pale cheeks.

"I dunno, Can you?"  
I felt the corner of my mouth lift in my best crooked grin that made most girls fall for me in an instance. In return for my words however I received only a glare that could easily rival that of a basilisk. She leaned in towards me still looking like she wanted to kill me for daring to sit beside her and invade her space.

"Look, I'm a hundred percent not in the mood to be hit on. So do me and yourself a favor and piss off."  
Normally I would have taken her advice and backed off but there was just something about this girl. Something about her that just seemed to draw me in and it was this strange magnetic pull that kept me sitting there beside her. I couldn't give up before I'd even really started; I wanted her. I wanted her badly and I wasn't going to walk away from her just like that. I lifted one of the already open beers to my lips and offered the other bottle out towards her.

"You're not going to leave are you?"  
She asked as she glanced pissed off, between me and the bottle I was now practically waving in front of her face. I shook my head because I wasn't going to leave her. Not yet anyway.

After a moment of hesitation she sighed and snatched the beer from my grasp causing a tiny amount to spill over the rim onto her dark blue dress. Her brown eyes stared into mine for a second as she said

"If your sticking around then I'm gonna need this" she raised the bottle and chugged half of its contents in one quick shallow.

She sighed and stumbling slightly hoisted herself up onto her feet. Her shoes caught my attention since they weren't what I would have predicted. She was wearing black converse similar to a pair I had at home. I felt my eyebrows rise at the sight of her footwear. She clearly noticed my expression because she said

"I'm a klutz, I don't do heels. Problem with that?"

"No! But would you care if I did?" I stared up at her and watched as she narrowed her eyes at me. She took another hearty swig of the beer finishing the bottle in two gulps; she had pretty much stopped crying now. _Thank god!_ I hopped up onto my feet trying not to spill any of my beer onto my tux. Alice would take a machete to my balls if I got even a mark on the precious Armani suit she'd made me wear.

The brunette in front of me watched as I brushed myself down. A lustful hunger filled her eyes as I ran my hand through my hair making it even more unruly. My grin spread wider at the sight of such a promising emotion. I'd never seen lust quite so strong in a woman's eyes before and I'd seen that emotion a lot over the past couple years.

Her obvious longing for me was making me a little uncomfortable downstairs. As quick as it had appeared the beautiful lust vanished as she shook her head softly before abruptly turning and stalking off away from me towards the elevator. I followed after her instantly, not even thinking of not and letting her leave.

I caught up to her as she paused in front of the closed doors; I tapped the up button before she got the chance to do the same thing. I leant forward pressing my chest up against her back and slipped my hands into place on her hips. Her breath caught at the sudden close contact and a shiver ran through her body as I whispered into her ear.

"Mine or yours?"

**Bella.**

"Mine or yours?"

I don't know why but I found myself caving to what he was suggesting, my life was going to shit so why couldn't I have fun with a passing stranger. He pressed his soft lips to my neck and I felt myself surrendering fully to him.

I shouldn't want to have sex with him but I did, the elevator doors binged opened and he lead me into it. Still planting kisses along my exposed throat he stretched out his arm towards the floor numbers. His hand paused there and his mouth drew back from me to say.

"You still haven't said?"

"Yours," I breathed and his fingertip jabbed button like he'd already known that would be my answer. I didn't know why I was I doing this. I'm normally the good girl, the one who study's hard, gets good grades, doesn't stay out pass curfew all that kind of stuff; but today I think part of me wanted to be bad. To do something that would make me deserve my mom's hatred of me and if I was going to do that I might as well enjoy it at the same time.

"Just tonight"  
I said a little breathless. His hands, which had started to explore my body only moments ago, stopped moving and I explained when he remained immobile and silent.

"This is just tonight. Just sex, no strings attached."  
I felt like such a whore saying that, but if I did this then I swore I would never do anything like it again. Not ever! I was going to my Gran's tomorrow and when I got there tomorrow afternoon, tonight would be forgotten.

I gently lifted back the covers and slide out of his bed; I quietly and as carefully as the klutz in me could manage, slipped on my underwear and dress. In a strange way I felt better for having done what I just had. Yes, I felt dirty and ashamed of myself but I had so needed and deserved this after everything I'd gone through lately. Besides it's not like I did this kind of thing everyday. I tiptoed around the end of the bed, the thick carpet making my footsteps practically soundless.

I was so focused on getting out without waking him that I didn't look too carefully at where I was walking and my bare foot soon collided with a wooden table leg. Where that table had suddenly materialized from I didn't know but it hurt like hell as I fell heavily onto the floor. The carpet might have been thick, but it didn't soften all that well. I somehow managed to hold back the little scream of pain that I knew had been about to happen, I didn't want him to wake up until I was long gone. I pulled myself up to find that I wasn't going to get what I wanted.

I looked up from the where I was currently lying on the ground by his bed to the sound of his sleepy voice speaking directly to me.

"If you're trying to sneak out, one you failed and two the front door is left not right your heading to the bathroom."

"Smart ass" I muttered a bit too loud since he quickly answered me.

"You happened to like my ass very much not that long ago!" You could just hear the smugness in his voice as he said that. It angered me to hear it; I glared at the ceiling as heat flooded my face as an angry and embarrassed blush spread across my cheeks. I pulled myself up so I was kneeling at the end of his bed. I folded my arms and rested my head on them so I could glare at him directly. Only I wasn't expecting to find myself practically nose to nose with him. When had he moved? I hadn't heard him move, what was he a fucking ninja? I jumped at his unexpected close proximity and fell backwards onto the floor.

The laughter that burst from him as he witnessed my little tumble made me even angrier, still laughing and still stark naked he rolled off his bed, moving around it to stand in front of me. I felt the redness in my face intensify at the sight of him. I averted my gaze away from him because of it. I had only just seen him naked and yet I felt myself compelled to look away all because I was too shy and I embarrassed easily.

"What's that on your face?"  
He asked very randomly. I turned back to him when he spoke and watched as he knelt down on the floor placing him, very intimately between my legs. My body reacted to his closeness almost immediately and it only made it worst when he leant down to hover over me in order to look at, for some reason, my face. I wriggled to try to get away from him. Sleeping once with a stranger I could cope with but I was not doing it twice even if my body and his were telling me they wanted to. _Not gonna happen._

His warm hands gripped the sides of face and tilted it gently back around to how it had been a moment ago. I felt him move his hand up to touch my cheek and winced as his hand brushed against my skin. At first I didn't understand the pain until I remembered what my mother had done earlier. He'd clearly spotted her hand print and had wanted to know what it actually was. I felt quite touched that he actually cared that I'd been hurt. Well, I did until he said his voice panicked and confused

"Fuck, did I do that?"

I frowned at him and was about to push him off me when a voice sounded from just outside the front door.

"Edward, are you in there?"

I felt his body freeze above me before he jumped up away from me and shot around the room as I pushed myself up from the floor. He managed to pull on his discarded black suit trousers before the door was thrown open to reveal a woman standing in the doorway. The young woman standing there was what I'd imagine to be the definition of beauty. Her presence made me feel incredibly inferior and that was before she spoke.

"Geez! Masen, couldn't you have gone even one bloody night without bedding some whore? The woman came into the room just one step and I froze on the spot when she did. Her face twisted into a look of disgust as her eyes fell on me

"A brunette? I thought you preferred the leggy blonde whores not the short brown ones?"

I was so insulted, why was everyone including me calling me a whore nowadays? I wasn't going to just sit here and be insulted, but there was something very intimidating about this woman that I didn't say anything to her. I spotted my sneakers and bag near the door and I made sure to snatch them both up as I pushed out past the bitchy blonde and into the corridor. I sighed as soon as I was out in the empty corridor; my room wasn't far from his so it wouldn't be that far to walk. Personally I was just glad to be out of there.

I made a promise to myself as I walked that I would never behave like a slut again, since being called it and actually deserving the title made tears appear and fall thick and fast down my cheeks. I threw open my hotel room feeling humiliated and stupid. My eyes were stinging and my vision was clouded with tears as I leant back against the door and banged my head back once against it. I sighed again in a sort of relief and took a deep breath when suddenly a voice spoke from across the room. I jumped at the sound of it.

"Phil was right. You are a little whore, aren't you?"

Rage surged through me at her words. I couldn't believe my own mother was calling me it. She rose up from sitting on my bed and the mattress creaked in response, she spoke as she approached me.

"I went looking for you and I saw you in the lobby with that man. Did you even know his name?"  
She came over to me looking like she was about to give me the lecture of a life time, I wasn't in the mood for this. I was so furious with her and the words she'd only just spoken that instead of standing by and taking her rant, like normal, I raised my hand and did what I should have done earlier. I slapped her as hard as she'd slapped me.

The sound that my hand created upon impact with her cheek was very satisfying to my ears. I shouldn't enjoy slapping my mom but god did she deserve it. For all the crap her and her bastard husband had done and said to me recently. She looked at me, shocked that I would actually retaliate against her. Anger burned in her eyes as she brought up her hand up to cradle her face.

"You better hope your gran puts up with your behavior because you are not welcome in my house again!"

Her words stung worse than I would've thought they would. I moved away from the door and held it open for her, she walked out into the corridor almost the same second that I opened the door. She looked back into the room at me, looking like she was about to say something bug I didn't give her the chance though. I smiled at her and said "good riddance" before slamming the door shut on the stranger that I had once fondly called my mom. She wasn't my mom anymore though and if this new woman was her replacement then quite frankly I didn't want to be around her. I was going to live with Gran and I wasn't a bad kid she wouldn't kick me out or ever hurt me the way mom had taken too doing recently.

I couldn't wait to leave to be away from my old life, I would start a new one with my gran. I would enroll at her local school, get good grades, make new friends and I would most importantly forget tonight ever happened. It wasn't important, just a little slip up in my old life. My new life would be better. My new one would be great; I would make sure of it.

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**Thanks for reading :)**


	2. Wail of a Newborn

A/N: In this chapter; It's nearly 9 months later and Bella's about to get one hell of a shock. It's a little short compared to the first one. It's also a little unrealistic but i have heard of something similar happening to a 13 year old girl in England (where i live) that's why i made it happen to Bella.

Anyway that said, I hope you like it!

If you do, Please review :)  
It means a lot to me when people do! :)

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Two.

**Bella**.

"Do we have to go?"

I complained as my new best mate Angela practically dragged me over to her car that sat in my grandma's drive way. I'd been living with my gran for months now, almost nine in fact. I was so much happier here with her.

She made me eat huge meals though and I'd gone up numerous dress sizes because of it making me a large size 12. I normally liked going shopping occasionally with Angela because she was like me she only went when she needed something. I'd needed to go a lot lately and i did owe her but today i was simply not in the mood.

I was having some terrible cramps, which Gran had told me before she'd gone out this morning were nothing to worry about. Saying i was probably just due my period. About time i had another one really since I'd only actually had one this year but given that I'd only started having them late last year, my monthly wasn't exactly regular. Gran had explained to me that it was supposed to be that way for the first couple of years. So i assumed the pain i felt was nothing to worry about and took some paracetamol.

Angela drove us to the town centre passing the Welcome to Port Angeles - Please Drive Carefully sign. The town where we lived in Washington wasn't the biggest but it was a damn site bigger than our neighbouring town. My dad, Charlie lived in that town, that tiny dead end town called Forks. It was because he lived there that i hadn't opted to live with him before. Grandma's town maybe similar to Charlie's but it was different in many ways too.

I hadn't yet found the time to visit Charlie or my brother Emmett who lived with him. I felt bad that i hadn't since i didn't exactly live miles away anymore. Emmett had come to grandma's to see me twice since i moved though not recently, his girlfriend had just found out she was expecting needless to say they were busy what with planning a wedding, yes my brother had proposed to her the moment they both found out. Personally I'm against the whole getting married because of a baby thing. Besides I haven't even met her yet, how stupid was that? When was i supposed to meet her? The wedding?

None of that really mattered to me right now though, the cramp like pain in my sides was getting progressively worse. My hands gripped the passenger seat so hard that my knuckles were turning white and my finger nails were practically clawing holes in the fabric. The pain came and went, and each time it returned it was agony. I was panting through it by the time we pulled up into the car park. Angela looked over at me and frowned

"Are you alright Bella?"

I shook my head for 'no'. I was most defiantly not alright! I had established that by now. Something was wrong, even with my inexperience i knew that period pain didn't hurt this bad.

"Do you wanna go home?"

I went to nod just as an excruciating pain ripped through me. I screamed and gripped the seat even harder.

"I think we need to go see a doctor"

Angela mumbled as she restarted the engine and reversed out of the space. I lent back into the seat and cried.

I'd never felt pain like this and i fell over a lot, I'd broken and fractured my bones numerous times but even that never hurt this bad. I got a grip over myself as the pain faded a little and i reached over to grab Angela's wrist.

"No doctors!"

I practically growled before letting go of her arm and going back to clawing the seat.

"Bella your in agony, we have to go to the hospital."

I shook my head i wasn't gonna let her take me there. All they ever did was stick needles in me anyway, stupid bastards.

"Please just take me home"

I whimpered as the i felt the pain level escalating within me all over again. I'd thought it couldn't get any worse, i was wrong. Angela sighed looking beyond defeated as she turned her car around, heading away from the hospital and instead towards my grandma's house.

She parked haphazardly across the driveway before running over to my passenger door and throwing it open. She crouched down beside me and spoke though i could barely make out her words through the pain induced haze i was currently in.

It was like the world around me just got forgotten as my conscious mind was swallowed whole and taken hostage by the sheer agony of what i was going through and what made everything ten times worse was that I wasn't even sure what was wrong with me.

Whispering hopeful words of comfort into my ear Angela lead me up the front path and, once she'd taken the keys out of my bag, into my grandma's front hallway. I broke out of her hold and slouched down onto the bottom step of the carpeted staircase. I needed to rest. To just sit and take a breath but my body wasn't having any of that.

I felt a heavy pressure below my stomach and my body began pushing on that pressure as if by some sort of instinct. I felt Angela take hold of my fisted hand and hold it while i concentrated all my energy on pushing.

I was getting a little worried now. I still wasn't sure what was wrong with me and why i was in this much pain but little things started to reenter my mind as the pain subsided for a brief moment. Little things like, no period, the change in dress size, the fact that I'm not a virgin. I'd first had sex with Jacob around nine months ago so was it possible that maybe I was in labour?

No not possible. We were careful, everytime and as if to prove this to myself i realised that i'd even had a period since 'us'. As i pushed down again, reality hit me with the force of a wrecking ball. There was one time I hadn't been careful. One time i'd been incredulaly stupid and reckless. That one time, after Renee's wedding.

I pushed that thought right out of my mind and told myself forcefully, _No you are not having a baby. Its not possible_. I would have known if i was and surely Grandma would've guessed. A scream tore up my throat as the pain reached a whole new level.

"ARRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHH!"

The pressure got worse before the pain started to fade. As i took in a deep lung full of air Angela, still holding my hand, said panicked

"Bella we need a doctor!"

I shook my head.

"Bella please! Please let me get help!"

She practically begged me and my tears renewed, rolling down my cheeks as i shook my head again.

Luckily for me Angela's phone rang. She pulled it out of her front pocket and answered the call.

"Ben, we need help!"

She cried down the receiver and I hissed through my tightly clenched teeth knowing my words were total bullshit.

"I'm fine"

She totally ignored me and I only heard her say

"We're at Bella's! Can you come over?"

Before i found myself surrounded in pain, screaming and pushing down again. I was really starting to panic now. This pain, this whole thing that was happening to me was gradually started to make me think that i was actually having a baby. As impossible as it was. Oh who am i kidding it wasn't impossible. It was very possible.

I screamed and sobbed harder. I pulled my hand away from Angela as she ended her call. She looked up at me curiosity, terror and something else that i couldn't name, showed on her face as I made myself go up the stairs. She soon jumped up and followed swiftly after me but i managed to close my bedroom door on her before she could get inside.

"Bella open the door!"

She yelled as i clicked the lock. I couldn't let her in. Couldn't tell her what i thought was possibly wrong with me. She knew about Jacob but nobody, apart myself, Edward (yes i remembered his name) and the blond who had interrupted us, knew about the night at the hotel. She would think the same as everyone else if i told her. I couldn't lose her as a friend. I just couldn't.

"Go away!"

I yelled panting as the need to push came back. I needed to follow my bodies instructions. It wanted this baby (assuming there was one, oh please god don't let there be one!) out so i would focus on getting it out and panic once it was.

"I'm not going anywhere! You need me, you need help! Let me in!"

The door handle shook as she tried in vain to get inside my room. I screamed for what felt like the hundredth time and the agony escalated beyond anything i had ever thought possible to experience without dying.

**Angela**.

"I'm not going anywhere! You need me, you need help! Let me in!"

I yelled shaking the door handle pointlessly in an attempt to get to her. I had a pretty good idea what was happening. I wasn't stupid. I'd been at the hospital and heard my mum give birth to my twin brothers from the corridor when i was only 12 and I'd even been my cousin's birthing partner when she'd had her son last year. I knew what labour looked like, I knew what it sounded like hence why I knew that Bella was about to have a baby. The only thing i didn't know was why she hadn't told me. Why she hadn't told anyone. Bella was kind, caring and loving person so why would she hide this and risk her child's life by keeping it hidden?

"Bella please just open the door!"

My eyes prickled as a warning for tears. I wanted so badly to help her. It was like an impulse to make her better. She was best friend, practically my sister even if I'd only known her for a few months. The tears of failure fell as i heard his voice calling from downstairs.

"Ang?"

I turned and ran down the staircase to where he stood in the still open doorway. He went to pull me close but i fought against it. There was no time. If i remembered anything about child birth, it was once you started pushing you didn't have long left till it got here. I instead went to say keeping my voice as calm as possible given the situation.

"I need-"

"ARRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHH"

Bella's ear splitting scream rang out through the entire house. I actually started to worry about Bella's neighbours hearing her as Ben cursed out loud in response to the sound.

"What the hells wrong with her?"

He asked as I tore up the stairs, dragging him by the hand along with me. I would need him to get that door open so i could actually help her.

"Bella I can help! you just need to let me in!"

I yelled once we both stood outside her door. When I got no reply I began shaking the handle again. Only to let go when Ben's hands gently took hold of my shoulders and move me away from the door so he could proceed to shove his shoulder hard against the wood. I knew when I saw what he was going to do that it would work. Ben was on the football team at school so i knew he was strong enough to break down a door. The wood splintered and cracked as the lock was forced away from the door frame. The second that the door was open the shrill wail of a newborn filled the little bedroom.

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A/N: Ok i'm actually pretty worried about this chapter and how it turned out but I'm hoping its not too bad. I'm gonna have to ask again cos i still dont really know what sex i want this baby to be, so boy or girl? What would you prefer?

Anyway,  
Thanks for reading!

Abbie :)


	3. Better Off Without Me

A/N: OMG! I have one thing to say to everybody reading this and that is THANK YOU SO MUCH! I dont think I've ever had that many reviews just for one chapter before :D The only bad thing is that i got my first bad one which is sad but I'm sure i'll get over it :) Anyway, i asked last time what sex the baby should be and in this chapter your going to find out which :)

I have one more thing to say and that is I have no idea about childbirth and what happens after it, so if this is wrong then I apologize because it is me mainly guessing but hey i tried.

Well, im gonna shut up now and let you read :) hope u like it :) Thanks again :D Abbie :D

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Three

**Angela**.

I wasn't entirely sure what i was supposed to do now. Whenever i'd been around this kinda thing the nurses would normally take over at this point but there were no nurses here. The only people here were me, Ben, Bella and her baby that was still currently balling its tiny brains out. Nobody had said a word since the baby had cried that first time and the house was silent apart from the noise it was still making.

Bella's body was shaking and she looked like she'd gone into some kind of shock. She was lying on her single sized bed on her side staring down at the surprisingly tiny baby. No wonder she hadn't looked BIG like most pregnant women. I took a few delicate steps forward towards her. She had changed out of the jeans and Snoopy t-shirt she'd been wearing earlier and was instead now wearing her huge worn out shirt that she usually wore to bed. Her face had lost any trace of healthy colouring making her skin look beyond her natural pale. Her eyes were surprisingly dry but the tracks from her previous tears were still there.

I stopped walking forwards leaving a little gap between her bed and me. I sunk down onto my knees reaching out a hand to brush some of her sweaty hair out of her eyes.

"Bella?"

Her eyes slowly moved up and meet mine. They held a mixture of confusion, horror and her earlier shock inside them.

"Bella, Why didn't you tell me?"

I asked keeping my voice soft. She shook her head and blinked once very slowly.

_Not much of an explanation, there Bella_.

I thought out of annoyance, I just couldn't get my head around the fact that my best friend had just given birth to a secret baby in her bedroom. You've got to admit the idea was pretty far fetched. My thoughts moved away from being annoyed and they softened when i realised just how exhausted she actually must be and as much as i wanted to know why she'd kept this from me and what the hell I was supposed to do now, she needed to sleep. So it was now my job to encourage her to do just that though it didn't take much encouragement in the end.

"You need to sleep now, ok?"

I told her very simply as i tucked a piece of damp hair behind her ear. She sort of gave a half nod of her head and then almost instantly fell off to sleep. Although how she managed too with her baby squawking so close to her ear was beyond me. I didn't know what to do and i looked over at Ben, who was frozen by the door in nearly as much shock as Bella.

"Ben?"

I called to him as my eyes turned to the only minutes old baby girl. Her cord was still there connecting her grossly enough to her placenta. That cord needed to be cut so I would have to find some things to do that with.

"Ben?!"

I yelled making him snap out of it and bring his attention away from his thoughts.

"Ang! What the fuck?! You didn't tell me Bells was up the duff!"

Not moving my eyes away from the baby while I whispered my reply of

"I didn't know"

Towards the little girl. Her crying was getting gradually quieter which made me panic just a little bit. Crying was a healthy reaction for a newborn so why was she quite randomly just calming down? I ignored it for the time being and focused instead on getting that cord cut.

"Her cord needs cutting. I need scissors and something that I can clamp it with to stop the blood flow. Do you think you can find that stuff for me?"

I asked still not turning around. Ben drew in a long clearly annoyed breath before sighing and saying

"I'll do my best"

He was only gone just over five minutes and was back holding out a pair of scissors and some washing line pegs before i'd really even had time to take off my jacket and wrap it around the baby.

"Really?"

I asked him in slight disbelief as i held up one of the pegs. He didn't answer because his eyes were fixated on the baby who was at this moment in time starting to fall asleep in my jacket.

"Ang, that's a baby! Like a real one!"

He stated sounding and looking like a brain dead idiot. He'd already noticed she was real so why was he now pointing out the obvious? Probably just too many footballs to the head.

"Yeah I can see that thanks."

I snapped when the stress of the situation began to hit me. I fought to remain calm and I lent forward to deal with the cord. As efficiently as possible, I pealed back my jacket, clamped a peg around the umbilical cord and cut it away from her. Drops of blood spilled from it but it wasn't much so i ignored it for the moment, Bella was going to have to burn those bed sheets anyway. I wrapped her back up to keep her warm before lifting her up off the bed and cradling her ridiculously tiny body in my arms.

"Can you hold her while I clean this up?"

I asked Ben, i needed to do something before I actually just screamed and woke up both Bella and her child. The reality of what had just happened was hitting me hard now. I needed to keep myself busy until Bella woke up and explained herself or at least told me what i was supposed to do. I knew deep down that i should ring someone, get some help but I just didn't and I instead placed the little girl into Ben's unwilling arms before starting to remove the evidence of her traumatic and extraordinary entrance into this world.

**Bella**.

If it hadn't been for the fact that my body felt like it had been run over by a truck then i would have thought that the whole baby thing had just been a terrifying nightmare. It hadn't been though I wasn't stupid enough to think that, I may have been ridiculously stupid and naive about the knowledge of my pregnancy but i knew i hadn't dreamed this up, all that pain and the baby that had followed it, I simply wasn't that creative.

It felt to me like I'd only been asleep for a few minutes when in reality it was probably more like a couple of hours. The sound of Angela's voice is what had caused me to wake up before i was really ready to.

"Are you sure its going to fit her? It looks too big?"

My heavy eyelids blinked open very slowly and my eyes turned to where Angela and her boyfriend were sitting on the floor, their backs up against my wall. Ben was holding out what looked like baby clothes while Angela held the baby, _my baby_, in her arms. The first thing I'd really noticed about the baby, before Angela had broken the door down, was that she defiantly wasn't Jacob's, her creamy pale skin, vibrant green eyes and dark browny red hair told me that much, which in turn told me that all hope of keeping her was gone. I hadn't truly been ashamed of what I'd done in the hotel until now.

"Just try it, she can't wear your jacket forever."

Ben's voice drew me away from my troubled thoughts and I watched Angela place the baby on the carpet before she very carefully stripped her off. Angela took the pale yellow all in one suit into her hand but paused before actually putting it on.

"Did your sis by any chance have any diapers for her dolls?"

Ben nodded and reached into a box that i hadn't spotted beside him now. He pulled out a diaper and handed it to Angela.

"Baby Annabelle? No Huggies in there then?"

She questioned laughing as she slide the diaper into place. Ben shook his head and laughed along with her but there was something in their laughter that made it sound not happy but more like they were both verging on the edge of hysteria.

Once Angela had successfully dressed the baby I decided I would have to get up even if all i wanted to do was lie here and die. I wasn't sure if i could actually face up to this, in fact i was pretty sure i couldn't. I wasn't prepared emotionally or physically and I just couldn't accept that the little gurgling baby in Angela's arms had only mere hours ago come out of me.

My whole body protested as I forced myself upright into a sitting position. I bit down on my lip to keep from crying out when a series of throbbing pains surfaced. The minute I was sitting Angela spoke the same question she had to me earlier her voice choked with a sudden sadness

"Bella why didn't you tell me?"

I simply didn't know what to say so i kept my mouth shut. If i told her that i hadn't known she would think i was lying, anybody who had more than a few brain cells would probably think that. I stood up very slowly and moving as if i was in a trance, i went to my chest of drawers and pulled out clean clothes and underwear.

"Bella?"

Angela called just as i closed the en suite bathroom door, effectively keeping her away from me all over again. Still in my trance like state I turned on the taps in the sink and grabbed the scrunched up dried out flannel from the side of the bath.

I took of my t-shirt before washing my face and very gently my thighs and other 'parts'. The water turned red as I rung out the flannel into the sink. I still felt dirty even after my little wash but at least I physically wasn't anymore, that was something. I took my time getting dressed since it hurt so bloody much to tug on my clothes. I made sure to line my knickers with a pad since I knew that blood wasn't going to stop coming just yet. I still probably looked horrible but i felt a little better as I opened the door and stepped out to face the self created hell that awaited me.

Only it didnt seem like hell when the moment I opened the door my best friend threw her arms around me and hugged me. I promptly burst into long over due tears. I just seemed to cry for hours onto her shoulder before my eyes ran dry and Angela asked me

"Do you have Jacob's number?"

My heart sank, it was time to tell someone about my 'lapse in self control' or as some people put it 'one night stand'.

"I don't need it"

I mumbled against her shoulder blade. I felt her sighing before i heard it.

"Bella you have to tell him. He has a right to know about his daughter."

I shook my head and the tears returned as I finally told her

"She's not his."

"I don't understand you told me-"

She started to say and I pulled out of her hold, turning my back on her to finally admit,

"I lied."

She fell silent almost instantly and i rushed to explain

"I did lose my virginity to Jacob but he wasn't that only guy that I've slept with. I couldn't tell you about it. You'd think i was a slag. It was only once after my mum's wedding. I was upset, crying even and he found me. I don't know for sure why i did it but i went back to his hotel room and we, well you know. The most I know about him is his name and that doesnt even matter because I'll never be able to find him."

I finished knowing that truthfully finding Edward didn't bother me. I had no intention of keeping the baby, all i wanted right now was take her far away and give her to someone who could love her and take good care of her. I would be a terrible mum and i was proving that thought to myself by fighting the urge to hold her rather than acting on it like any normal mum would.

The silence wasn't interrupted for a good few minutes.

"What was his name Bella?"

Angela's voice held no judgement for my actions like I'd been thinking it would. It was just her normal, if a little strained, voice.

"Edward Masen, i think."

_That's what the blond called him anyway. _

Angela's eyes went wide and she opened her mouth to speak but Ben beat her too it.

"Fuck me! Are you serious? Edward Masen?"

He stood up holding the baby and continued before I could even nod let alone answer.

"As in the youngest Cullen? The star of our rival football team?"

"I only know his name."

I mumbled feeling mortified that they clearly knew more about the baby's dad than I did. Ben began shaking his head and he sighed laughing a little.

"Bella your a victim of Edward, its not your fault."

A deep frown spread across my forehead and I'm pretty sure i looked as confused by his words as i felt.

"Bella, that guy could charm his way into the most dedicated of nuns knickers!"

_Why did that not surprise me? _

He had acted pretty whorish, oh who am I kidding we both had.

"Wait, back up sec."

Angela said looking just as confused as I'd felt a second ago

"How do you even know him? You said you met him at your mum's wedding? Why was he even there?"

I shook my head again

"He wasn't. He was just in the hotel. Look none of this matters! My gran gets back in like-"

I looked over at the clock on my bedside table '12:47'

_Was that really all it was?_

"4 hours! Do either of you know where he lives?"

I asked when the idea came to me. I couldn't keep the baby. It wasn't even an option in my head right now. She deserved a better life than what I could provide and maybe living with her dad's family would give her that better life. I sure hoped it would anyway.

Ben nodded and finalized my plan by doing so.

"Me and the guys may have gate crashed a couple his party's"

He explained looking slightly proud of himself. All of a sudden he strode over and held the baby out for me to take. I backed away even though my heart was yelling at me, well more like commanding that I take her off him and never let her go.

"Can you take me there?"

I asked still keeping the distance between myself and the baby.

Both Ben and Angela looked shocked when I asked it or maybe it was just my unusual reaction that shocked them, it didn't matter which i just needed to get them to take me to his house or at least tell me where it was.

"Suppose so."

Ben replied and I instantly moved over to my wardrobe to grab a blanket. I had to walk slowly since I still hurt a lot and as I walked Ben kept talking;

"But its like an whole hours drive to Forks."

_Forks? As in Charlie's Forks?! _

I paused at the word but I didn't stay still for long. Nobody there would know who she belonged to! Neither Charlie or Emmett would ever know that she was their granddaughter/niece.

"Why do you wanna go there anyway? Its not like your gonna just hand him the bab-"

I had just grabbed one of the smaller blankets when Angela cut across her boyfriend,

"Bella don't, please. She's your daughter. She needs you!"

"She needs someone who will take care of her better than I can. Besides if Gran finds out about her, chances are I'm homeless and that's OK for me to not have a home but its not OK for her. She deserves better than me."

I told her meaning what I said. My gran was incredily against the whole sex before marriage thing. She would either throw me out or force me to get married and neither of the two opinions were all that appealing.

"Your her mum, Bella! What she deserves is to have you in her life!"

I shook my head and mumbled sadly

"She's far better off without me."

With the blanket in hand I walked over to Ben and did the one thing I'd been trying not to do. I took my baby into my arms and I started crying before I could even manage to wrap the blanket around her. Her beautiful green eyes studied me curiously and Angela used that against me.

"Go on little darling, take a good look at your mum because you wont have her much longer."

The bitter and harsh tone behind her words was out of place in her voice. She was rarely horrible to anyone, let alone me. I didn't know what to say so I stayed silent and held my daughter close to me. I started to imprint this moment of ours onto my brain because this was the first and last time I would ever hold her.

"I love you, i really do, my sweetheart."

I told her through my now heavy tears.

"But I have to do this."

I kissed her little forehead and then blinked attempting to shift some of the tears from my eyes.

I didn't want to miss even one tiny detail of her pretty little face. I would have to commit it to memory and pray that it would be enough to keep me going. I forced my eyes away from her and made myself instead look up at Ben.

"You don't have to take me but please just tell me where to go?"

He looked over at Angela she was crying like me though granted she wasn't crying nearly half as bad as myself. She really didn't want me to do this, I could see the torment and disapproval she felt. She hadn't even tried to hide it from me.

"Take her."

She said to my upmost surprise, her voice was choked up with emotion once again but it held no anger like before.

"If she drives in that state she'll probably end up crashing."

Ben nodded once and then turned his attention to me and my daughter, who was now resting her head against my chest.

"Your sure this is what you want, Bella?"

__

Of course its not what I want! You idiot!

I thought just before I said forcing the word past the lump that had formed in my throat.

"Yes."

He sighed and Angela wiped her hand inelegantly across her eyes.

"Come on then."

He said soundly like he really didn't want to do this. I wrapped the beige blanket around her tucking her in tight to keep her warm and then followed Ben through my house and to his car. Only thinking one thing.

_I have to do this. _

* * *

A/N: im sorry for that! but i think you all sorta knew that was gonna happen. :(

Anyway, if you've got any name suggestions just let me know :)

Thanks for reading :D

Abbie :D

p.s sorry if there was any mistakes in that my internet kept crashing as i was trying to read throught it :( oh and the next update may not be as quick! since i have to work tomorrow :'( lol


	4. Granddaughter on the Doorstep

A/N: Sorry it took longer than normal to update but I had to work :(  
Thanks for your amazing reviews they mean alot to me :D and they always make me smile :D your all simply awesome :D :D lol  
With the Thank yous out of the way heres Chapter Four.  
Hope you like it :)

* * *

Four

**Bella**.

Me and Ben (Angela had refused to be a part of this and she hadn't come with us) had just passed the welcome to Forks sign when the panic and shame of what I was about to do really set in. I couldn't believe I was actually going through with this. I had no choice though, there were no other options available to me. I loved my baby of that I was sure but this was just something that I HAD to do. I hadn't been able to stop crying the whole time we'd been driving and the second Ben turned off the main road into a long gravel driveway my tears became relentless, I could barely see my daughter because of them. I wiped my hand across my eyes in an attempt to rid them of the moisture that clouded them. I needed to be able to see her properly before I let her go. I would need her image in my mind to keep from dying of the pain our separation would more than likely cause me.

"I can't keep you. I can't. I'm so sorry."

I said as I stared down at the her tiny body that was lying across my thighs. She looked up at me blinked once slowly before yawning and shutting her eyes. The peaceful look on her beautiful face nearly made me demand that Ben turn the car around. I wouldn't though she needed more than I could give her so I had to do this. Ben did a U-turn when we reached the house. Oh my god that house! Just seeing it made me more sure. It was huge and looked amazing from the outside. Now that was the kind of house my daughter deserved to grow up in. I could see her happy living there even if i couldn't be with her.

Ben drove a little way away from the house, stopped the car but didn't switch off the engine.

"Do you want me to do it Bella?"

I nodded and my heart shattered as I kissed her forehead goodbye and handed her to Ben. She began fussing the minute she left me almost like she knew I was leaving her. I couldn't watch as Ben walked away from his car and I buried my face into my hands. I was practically drowning in my tears and I had to fight hard against the instinct to run from the car and snatch her back.

Ben jumped back in the car and floored the accelerator. I felt like I'd left my heart and soul behind as we drove back to Port Angeles. I couldn't speak, couldn't breathe, in fact I simply couldn't do anything other than sob uncontrollably. The phyiscal pain I still felt from having her was forgotten as the whole in my chest with each mile we drove.

The hours drive home didn't seem that long. It seemed to only last minutes in the state I was in. Gran's car was sitting in the drive as Ben pulled up outside my house. I took deep calming breaths for a couple of minutes trying to gain some control over myself before I clicked open the door and stepped out onto the pavement. I still couldn't speak, I couldn't even thank Ben for what he'd just helped me do.

My hands were shaking as I fumbled with my keys trying to get the stupid thing into the lock. I got the door open after a few failed attempts and walked into the kitchen. My body seemed to have reentered the numb trance like state I'd experienced earlier but gran didn't seem to notice anything wrong.

"Did you have fun at the shops dear?"

"Yeah"

I said trying to force my voice to sound normal but it just came out as very empty and flat. Gran turned around of doing the washing up to take a good look at me. Her eyes studied me and through fear of discovery I mumbled.

"I tired I think I'm gonna go up to bed."

"OK dear, I'll make you something for supper in case you fancy it later."

I nodded and muttered a thanks even though I knew I wouldn't be eating whatever she ended up making for me. I left the kitchen and walked up the stairs my legs felt heavy and my chest ached. The minute I got inside my room the events of the day finally got to me and I collapsed against the closed door, knowing that my life would never be the same again.

**Esme**.

The normally absent sun shone through the kitchen window, warming the bare skin of my forearms as I loaded the dishwasher. It was nearly two o'clock in the afternoon and as i placed the last plate inside my son clad only in his pajama trousers walked slowly past me.

"Mornin'."

He greeted in what sounded more like a grunt than actually English.

"Afternoon."

I corrected as he threw open one of the cupboards.

"Whatever."

He muttered effectively ending any form of conversation. I heard a bag of chips rustle as he pulled them down from the top shelf. Having no desire to stay in the kitchen and listen to him crunch his way through another unhealthy breakfast I left the room and went next door to get started on the laundry. I spotted the over flowing laundry basket and sighed. I hadn't put on a load yesterday and now i regretted not doing so. Another sigh escaped me as I began sorting threw the different fabrics and colours.

I had just started throwing the whites into the drum when the bell rang. My shoulders slumped a little

_Can't I ever do something without being interrupted?_

"Could you get that please?"

I asked my son and the annoyance I already felt grew when he replied his mouth still chewing the chips

"Busy"

I jumped up from the kneeing on the floor and threw the clothes back into the basket. I had passed the kitchen on my way to get the door and when I saw him leaning against the counter tilting the bag upright to force the leftover chip crumbs into his mouth, I got angry and found myself muttering a little too loudly.

"You lazy son of a-"

He then made me even more annoyed by cutting across me saying;

"If you finish that sentence your insulting no one but yourself."

I truly felt like I could hit him. I was at the end of my tether with his behaviour and I hated to admit it but I was starting to count down the days till he went off to college. I would miss him and probably be ridiculously upset for the first few weeks without him but college would be good for him, hopefully give him some responsibility, make him grow up. He was heading off to study music among other things. Edward may not be the best behaved boy but he was talented, when he sat down on that piano bench and played I seemed to forget all the bad things he'd done in the past. When he played I felt truly proud of him. I loved my son but in the last four years he'd slowly turned into a replica of his father.

I was just dreading the day that he would come home and say

"Mum, (insert name) is pregnant."

It would happen one day. I just had this terrible feeling that it would. I reached forward and opened the door still thinking about the thing I feared most. He would either tell me that or he simply wouldn't know and then one morning we'd wake up and find a baby on our door- my trail of thought was severed there. My eyes had looked down onto the step unconsciously following my thoughts and at first I thought I'd been imagining it because of the nature of what I'd been thinking. It was only when its quiet whimpers reached my ears that I realised it wasn't a figment of my imagination after all.

A baby. There was a baby wrapped in a beige blanket lying on our top step. I felt like crying and yelling at the same time. I sunk down onto my knees beside it and pulled back some of the blanket that was covering its tiny head. My heart sank down into the pit of my stomach as I noticed the hair colour. It was my hair colour, the hair colour that i shared with my son only slightly darker. It's eyes shot open startled at the unexpected movement of its blanket. Green! The eyes just had to be that particular shade of green, didn't they?. That baby might as well have been born with 'Property of Edward' stamped across its forehead. I bent down and with nervous shaking hands lifted the tiny bundle into my arms.

I didn't have time to process what had just happened because the baby's stomach grumbled and it's whimpers turned into full blown crying. I could almost feel my heart breaking at the noise. I moved the baby up to my chest and began rubbing its back in a slow calming motion, as I did this I thought for the first time about its mother. Guessing by looking at it the baby wasn't that old, a few hours at most and I would put good money on it being that she panicked, no mother could possibly do this sort of thing otherwise. Then it hit me, doing something like this probably meant that she was young, and more likely very young.

_Oh Lord, how young exactly? _

I thought before mentally begging

_Please be don't be under eighteen! Please be overage!_

I honestly didn't care if my son had been sleeping with middle aged women as long as he wasn't bedding pre-teens (unknowingly or otherwise) because if it turned out that he had been bedding pre-teens, I would personally castrate him with no anaesthetic!

"What the holy fuck is that noise?!"

Edward yelled over the sound of what was more than likely his child's cries. It didn't take long for a very tired and ill (she had horrendous morning sickness, Well all day sickness in her case!) looking Rose to appear at the bottom of the stairs but i only noticed her when she spoke

"Is that what I think it is?"

I turned my whole body to the right to give my step daughter a view of what was making the noise that she had clearly recognised. Her blue eyes scanned the baby and even though from where she was, she probably couldn't make out its 'Masen' hair colour, they still moved straight from the baby over to where Edward was standing in the kitchen doorway.

"You bastard!"

**Edward**.

I actually nearly fled the country when Rose's burning gaze fell on me. I would never admit it to anyone that I was frightened of her and I would never have been normally this scared of her but she was pregnant and that made her normal temper 30 times worse.

"You bastard!"

She spat looking so angry that it wouldn't surprise me if she ran over and beheaded me.

Why was she angry though? I hadn't done anything as far as I was aware! Besides I was under the impression that girls were supposed to coo and go all sickening sweet over baby's so why was that one making her so mad?

"Look could you just shut that thing up please? Its giving me a fucking headache!"

I shouted when the noise started to really get to me.

_Oh fuck here comes the beheading! _

I thought when Rose's eyes shot me a look that pretty much told me I was dead. Her eyes might as well have had the word 'KILL' written across them flashing in red lettering but to my surprise, when she moved she didn't come over to me and instead went over to mum. They spoke in whispers so I couldn't hear what she was planning which made me fear what she would eventually do to me all the more. I still didn't even really understand what I could have done to make her that angry at me until she moved away from

mum, holding the headache against her chest.

She came right up to me and maneuvered the headache from her chest and into her arms giving me a good look at it. I felt my eyes going wide just before she thrust the baby into my grasp. I struggled not to drop it as Rose said her voice a fake cheerful

"Congratulations! It's a girl!"

I stared down at it in horror. This had to be a joke, right? They couldn't be serious or at least i prayed (for the first time in my life) that they weren't. I was not cut out for this sort of thing. I don't do baggage and I sure as hell don't do children! Simply holding a baby felt foreign to me. I shoved the baby back towards Rose before pegging it towards the stairs.

"Edward, Get back here and face this you coward!"

Rose yelled after me and I paused at the bottom step for a second before turning slowly to face her saying

"You prove that things mine and then I'll do something about it! Until then keep it the hell away from me!"

with that said I turned and ran up the stairs as fast as my legs would carry me.

* * *

A/N: Hopefully you all liked that. The baby still needs a name :) Name suggestions anyone?

Thanks for reading :D

Abbie :D


	5. The Grandmother's Plan

A/N: Ok just want to say that this probably isn't the best chapter I've ever written but the stuff in it kinda needs to happen to get everything moving forward :) andI wanna say a quick thanks to those of you who reviewed, faved and/or alerted :D and all your awesome name suggestions! :D  
So here is chapter five and I really hope you like it (even if I'm not 100% happy with it) :)  
Abbie :D

* * *

Five.

**Esme**.

After my son's predictably reaction Rose and I had decided that it would probably be a good idea to ring Carlisle and take the baby to the hospital so he could check her over. We'd called and told him about her first though and his immediate reaction was to burst into laughter before quickly falling silent when I yelled into the phone

"Keep laughing and your sleeping on the sofa!"

If I was perfectly honest I had been expecting a reaction like that because like me he'd been waiting for something like this to happen. Carlisle had turned into a serious doctor man the second we had gotten into his office. Rose had said it would be best to not show her off to other doctors until we knew for certain of her paternity and she was right.

Although that meant that we couldn't take her to a ward and that Carlisle had had to meet us outside the hospital and lead us through the back entrance up to his office, where we were now. Forks was a small town and news traveled fast so until we had it proved that she was my grandchild nobody but us was going to know about her.

Carlisle had gotten supplies brought up for her, not telling anyone who he was seeing. When she had been weighed (6 lb 3 oz), measured (21 1/2 inches), fed (with donated breast milk), changed (before the silly toy diaper could give her a rash) and her newborn vaccinations given, Carlisle did what had had to be done; He took a tiny swab and collected a sample of her DNA. In my heart and head I already knew the result of that test but we headed more proof than just how I felt about her.

Edward had refused to come with us to the hospital meaning the only person who was potentially a DNA match was me. Carlisle handed me the sterile cotton bud and I ran it along the inside of my mouth collecting my saliva on the end of it.

"Are you sure it will be enough proof if i'm a match?"

I asked him as I dropped the cotton bud into the little plastic bag he was holding open.

"I don't see why not."

He replied closing the bag and scribbling grandparent on the label. I felt too young to be dubbed as a grandparent even if it was just on paper. I was only 44 and that in my opinion was not the age of a grandparent.

"I'll be as quick as I can."

He told me planting an affectionate little kiss on my lips before departing his office and going down to the lab. I wasn't sure how long these kind of things took so I went over to Rose and sank down into the navy armchair next to her. She was looking down into the plastic hospital cot a look of sorrow on her face. She spoke to me but didn't move her eyes away from the cot

"How could her mum just abandon her like that? If anyone tried to take my baby away from me I'd kill them."

She placed a hand across the nearly three months gone small and almost unnoticeable, swell of her stomach. I nodded I'd felt the same about Edward when he was a baby, in fact I still did in a way. I would never have had the strength to give up Edward and I couldn't really understand how someone could but I'd always vowed not to judge people before I knew the whole story so until I knew everything I would not judge her mother for her actions.

"We don't know why she did it, Rose"

She looked up and I could see the fire of an argument lighting her eyes so I held up my hand to stop her before she started.

"There may well be a valid reason behind this and I wont say or wish to hear anything more said against her until I know that reason."

Rose sighed and nodded slowly once, she then turned back to the baby and fell silent for a minute or two before she sharply snapped her head back to me

"Can I at least think bad things about her?"

I laughed and replied

"Your asking my permission? Haven't you just been thinking those things for the past two minutes?"

She shrugged before laughing a little herself. The baby stirred and our laughter died the instant we noticed. We sat in near silence until the door opened with a quiet creak and Carlisle walked inside, a piece of paper in his hand. He didn't say a word as he moved over to me and held out the paper. His expression was unreadable and I suddenly began to worry that maybe she wasn't my granddaughter after all. I wasn't sure what we would do with her if she wasn't Edward's. We would have to put her up for adoption and the thought of having to do that was simply painful. She'd only been in our lives for the grand total of an hour and a half but it still hurt when I thought of having to let her go and not ever see her again. I glanced once over at her sleeping form before turning my attention to the paper in my hand. My heart lept and a huge smile broke out across my face as I read that she was in fact my granddaughter. I was so happy that we could keep her that I jumped up and threw my arms around a very shocked Carlisle. He was so surprised by my reaction that it took him a few seconds to respond and hug me back.

"I don't understand, I thought you'd be upset. This is probably the most life changing news for Edward but your happy that she's his?"

I pulled back away from him as he asked me that. My smile shrunk but didn't disappear entriely as I said

"A life change is exactly what my son needs. This will be difficult for him I know that but I'll be there for him should he need -"

Carlisle cut across my sentence to say

"Esme, We'll both be there for him. I know what its like raising a little girl as a single dad."

He looked over at Rose who smiled sadly at him

"And its hard, we don't have the same instincts as women when it comes to children, I mean there there but there not as strong."

I nodded. He was right, he would probably understand the things Edward would have to go through far better than me. I mean we'd both raised our kids alone but it was different, as far as i knew there were more single mum's in this world than there were single dad's.

"This will be hard for him-"

This time Rose interrupted her father pointing out something we'd both failed to realise

"Your both assuming that he's actually going to want to keep her."

We both span around to face her when she said that. I couldn't keep the frown off my face as I awaited her explanation.

"Think back to what he said earlier, Esme. He never actually said he would take care of her if you proved he was her dad, he just said 'He'd do something about it' which probably means he's gonna begin sorting out an adoption for her the second we tell him, if he hasn't already."

She was right and because of it I found myself saying

"Well then we just wont tell him yet."

Carlisle frowned and Rose's eyes widened with shock, her mouth opening to reply.

"Look don't argue OK. I have a plan."

OK so I didn't really have a plan more of an idea than anything else. Edward may not want his daughter yet (as far as we knew) but I'd be damned if I was going to raise her for him. She wasn't my responsibility, she was his and I'd done my fair share of diaper changes and midnight feds so I wasn't doing all that again, especially not just because he couldn't keep it in his trousers. Edward was going to be a dad to that little girl, who was still sound asleep in front of me, and he would be a good one at that. He would have to be because I wasn't going to let my granddaughter be raised by strangers. Now she was with us, she wasn't going anywhere which meant we were going to need a few things.

"Rose do you think we should call Alice?"

A little frown ceased her forehead at the sudden change of subject and it was actually quite amusing how much she looked like her dad when her facial expression was practically the same as his. Just like my granddaughter was a miniature female version of her father and he was a male version of me.

"You know how annoyed she gets when we go shopping without her."

My step daughter-in-law was the biggest shopaholic in Washington, she'd always been like that though ever since she was little and she'd walk around the supermarket begging her mum to buy her everything that caught her eye.

"Are we keeping her then? Even if when we tell Edward he says he doesn't want her?"

Rose asked me me looking a mixture of sad, angry and hopeful.

"She's not going anywhere and he'll will want her one day, you'll see."

I told her with confidence and she replied by giving me a look that clearly said 'sure he will'. Carlisle placed his arm across my waist and pulled me close to him.

_Did he think I was in denial too?_

Well I knew my son better than both of them and I knew that he was capable of being a good dad. There was a whole other side to my son that they'd never seen. True be told I hadn't seen it in a while but I knew he could this and one day soon he would prove it to them both. He just needed time to adjust. That's all. Just time.

**Rose.**

I stepped out into the corridor outside my dad's office taking my iPhone out of my front pocket. I scrolled down the contact list until I found the name my fiance had given himself 'SexyEm'. I hit the button to call him. Esme had asked me to ring Alice and I would but I wanted my afternoon dose of Emmett and I wanted to tell him everything about today. How mental it had been and how our baby had made me vom like 6 times in an hour!. Mostly I just wanted to tell him all about that gorgeous little girl who was technically our niece, well more like step niece. A step niece who unfortunately would have to grow up with a dad who didn't want her. I love Esme, I really do but if she actually thinks that her man-whore son will ever give a crap about that beautiful baby then she's lost her fucking mind. Dad and Esme will end up bringing her up, I could just see it.

Emmett anwsered on the first ring

"Hiya gorgeous. Hows the bump?"

I smiled when his voice reached my ear and I lent my back against the wall.

"Gorgeous is that the best you can come up with? Your baby made me chuck my guts up at least 6 times today and gorgeous is the best compliment you've got?"

His roar of laughter made me a bit angry. I cleared my throat giving him just a little warning to shut the hell up before I got really pissed. My emotions were all over the place lately but that was to be expected given that I was just coming up three months. Emmett muttered a quick apology before asking sadly

"Was it really that bad?"

I sighed and replied

"Yeah buts OK. Not long left of my new morning routine, well hopefully anyway"

I laughed hoping to god that it did end soon. Our wedding was just over a month away and I really didn't fancy spending the morning of my wedding shut up in the bathroom hurling until my face went as pale as a fucking vampire.

"Yeah hopefully."

He agreed and I could almost hear the brilliant sexy grin that I could guess had just appeared on his face. We both went silent which wasn't something that normally happened in our conversations, which I assumed mean't that he was hiding something.

"What arent you telling me?"

"Geez woman paranoid much, I don't talk for like two seconds and suddenly you think I'm up to something."

The defensive almost guilty tone in his voice had gained made me even more curious. I forgot for the moment about my newly aquired niece and pointed out since I was getting pretty pissed off.

"Ok first you were quiet and now your just acting guilty. What arent you telling me?"

I repeated and he sighed once he knew I wouldn't let this drop.

"It was supposed to be a surprise but what the hell I'll tell you anyway."

_I knew there was something! I loath surprises anyway. _

"I just arranged for you to meet my sister."

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A/N: Sorry that wasnt brilliant but I did warn you lol Hope you liked it anyway :D

Thanks for reading :D

Abbie :D


	6. The Crying Brunette?

Six

**Rose**.

"I get to meet your sister?"

I'd been waiting far too long for this but now that I was going to I couldn't figure out if i was excited or terrified. It didn't really matter if she didn't like me because that wouldn't stop the wedding going ahead as we'd planned but it would matter to Emmett. He loved his little sister more than anything and her approval of me meant everything to him.

"Yeah. I told Gran we'd come over Friday that ok with you babe?"

He explained and I felt just a little bit anxious. This was a really big deal and I would most defiantly need to go shopping with Alice for an outfit.

_Shopping. Alice_._ The Baby! _Those two words caused me to very suddenly remember the real reason I phoned him.

"Oh my god, you'll never guess what happened today?"

I didn't give him a chance to try and guess though because blurt,ed out the words

"Edward's a dad!"

Ok not the best way to some up today but still I got the main point across, right?

"Doesn't surprise me. Wait what? How do you even know he is? How does he even know?!"

I laughed at how his voice had steadily increased in octaves with each question but he didn't find it funny,

"Rose tell me!"

He whined just as the door to dad's office opened and the sound of the baby wailing at the top of her lungs spilled out into the corridor. I could just imagine his eyes going huge at the noise which made my laughter return.

"Yep that's exactly what it sounds like."

I answered the question that he was most likely thinking, still laughing to myself.

"She's Edward's, we just got the results to prove it."

The only reply I got was the sound my phone made when a call was ended.

_Did he just hang up on me?!_

I mentally fumed until Esme's voice called from the office. She had to practically yell to be heard over the noise.

"Rose?"

I lifted my phone away from me and turned my attention to her.

"Can you tell Alice we'll pick her up on the way because we're going to need to go soon. Baby's up and now she wont settle."

_Yeah I can hear that much Esme!_

I gave one sharp nod to show i'd heard her and moved my phone back against my ear. The very second Esme disappeared back into the office, silencing the corridor as she closed the door, I hurriedly found Alice's number and rang her. Well, I thought when she answered on the first ring, That's ring her off my recent to do list, now all I had left to do was kill Edward for bringing all this crap into our lives, and to kill my fiance for hanging up on me! Seriously he better have a good reason for doing that or he may actually get hurt!

**Edward**.

This is not happening. I don't wanna be a dad. They haven't proved anything, yet. I shuddered at the thought. I can't be it's dad. I may enjoy casual sex with strangers but I wasn't the sorta person to not bother with condoms. Ok so its a lot better without them but still like i said before I don't wanna be a dad! Not now! Not ever! And I sure as hell don't want STD's. Mum already made me visit a clinic every two months, it was humiliating enough when those results came back negative, I never wanted to see them come back positive! I think I would actually just die from the embarrassment besides the hot slutty nurse who ran the clinic wouldn't want to continue our after results celebrations if they came back positive. I swear she was the only reason I actually went to that clinic, well and that mum usually held the keys to the Volvo hostage until I gave her the good results. Mum had a weird slightly unhealthy interest in my sex life, I knew she was just looking out for me but she really did creep me out with exactly how much she knew and cared. Another shudder went through me as I thought about that. Mum really was unique, most mum's would just turn a blind eye and pretend it wasn't happening but no I just had to get the mum that paid attention.

The sound of the doorbell ringing pulled me out of my thoughts. I really couldn't be fucked to move off my bed and go downstairs to answer it so I ignored it. The irritating noise soon ended and was replaced by my phone ringing. I grabbed it up off the bedside table and clicked to answer the call.

"Hello?"

I said and Emmett's pissed off voice met my ear,

"Hello you lazy fucker. Get your ass downstairs and open this door! We need to talk!"

Not wanting to admit I was little scared by his unusually serious tone, I drew in a fake shocked breath and in a pretend choked up voice

"Are you breaking up with me? Cos I swear that girl from last week she meant nothing to me!"

To my surprise he didn't laugh which made me even more scared. Yes I'm not the best comedian out there but just about everything had the potential to make Emmett piss himself laughing.

"That's part of your problem though isn't it Edward? Nobody ever means anything to you."

"Who the hell kicked you in balls? You grumpy fucker!"

I yelled when he snapped at me. Rose must've told him about the headache otherwise known as my, possible, daughter. Oh god even thinking that made me cringe. _Daughter, _Just that word made me shudder for a third time. As much as I prayed she wasn't mine I had this terrible feeling that she was.

I was careful most of the time and I did nearly always carry condoms in my back pocket but there were times when I did slip up. One time in-particular sprang to mind...Jasper and Alice's wedding...the crying girl who had come so easily back to my room...the girl who had run off when Rose had turned up (who wouldn't shes a scary bitch!)...and only after she'd ran off did I find the unopened condom in the back pocket of my suit trousers...

_...__"A brunette? I thought you preferred the leggy blond whores not the short brown ones?"__  
I didn't react to Rose's insult but the girl i'd just been about to shag for a second time, well if she let me, did. She grabbed her shoes and bag and ran out the door.  
_Well there goes the best fuck I've had in ages! Thanks sis! _  
I thought bitterly as I yanked on my trousers. To say I was pissed off at the interruption would be the understatement of the century.  
"You're such a bastard! You know that right?"  
Rose spat her voice angry and annoyed.  
"This is my brother's wedding day! Jasper asked me to come and find you because for some stupid him and Alice actually want you there! Now get dressed and get your skinny ass downstairs! If your not back at that party in 5 minutes, I'll hurt you in such a way that I can promise you wont have the parts to get laid again!"  
_Ouch! I'm no expert in these kinda things but I think what shes suggesting would really smart!

_"5 minutes, got it. Now fuck off."  
Muttering curse words she left slamming the door shut behind her. I finished getting dressed as quickly as possible, Rose normally meant her threats, and only stopped when i slipped my room key into my back pocket and felt my fingers brush against the foil wrapper of the condom that shouldn't still be there.  
_Oh holy fuck! This is not good!  
_I actually started to hyperventilate just a little bit and only regained composure when her words echoed through my mind_

_"This is just tonight. Just sex no strings attached."_

_Just sex with no strings attached. That's what she'd said so that's what this would be. She didn't even know my name and I hers. If something did happen she wouldn't find me. Nothing would happen and everything would be OK. Nobody had to know about this and nobody would. I would forget about her like I did every other girl that walked into my life because after all this was nothing, this was just sex. No strings attached... _

...Or so I thought! but that was almost eight and a half months ago. If the baby was mine then it maybe it could've been hers No thinking it was her was just stupid! She didn't know who I was so she sure as hell wouldn't have been able to find me, right?

"Edward you even fucking listening to me?!"

Emmett yelled so loud down the phone that I actually jumped. I'd gotten too distracted by my disturbing thoughts to pay attention to him but I could guess that he was just annoyed that I hadn't answered the door yet.

"I'm coming! For fucks sake!"

I hung up and went to answer the door. I really didn't want to talk about the headache not until they gave me proof she was mine and even then I'm not sure what I'd want too. I can't be a dad, I'm not cut out for this sort of thing. I sighed as I clicked the lock to let Emmett inside.

**Alice**.

Baby shopping was something I didn't think I'd be doing just yet. Not that I was complaining shopping was shopping no matter what the reason but I hadn't been expecting to be out baby shopping until Rose was at least 5 months, if not 6. Walking into the huge department store was exciting as always but it still felt weird to me. Edward being a dad just made my mind go, what the fuck?.

I'd known Edward since he was only a baby and I was probably the only woman besides his mum that he actually properly talked to. I was two years older than him and I might as well be his older sister what with how close we were. My mum used to babysit him when we were kids because Esme had to work, that's how we'd formed our little bond. I knew him probably better than anyone and I knew that he didn't want kids.

I couldn't even begin imagine what must have happened to her mother to make her do this to her but I knew Edward would probably never really want her. He may end up feeling pressured into holding her or feeding her but I couldn't see him doing much more than that. This whole situation was fucked up. I just couldn't get my head around the fact that he was apparently a dad. He was too young for this and not in anyway ready for this kind of thing. I'd meet seven year old's that were more mature than him. I knew it was possible for him to be a dad, I mean come on he'd bedded practically half of Washington! OK maybe not that many women but still he'd slept with plenty and everyone knew it.

I scribbled out a list of things we would need to get today and another of things that they could have delievered. The baby was asleep in the and thankfully silent as we walked down the many different aisles of baby essentials. Rose and me were soon distracted by the ridculously cute outfits which left Esme to get all the things like bottles, formula, diapers those things on her own. She didn't look annoyed by this though in fact I personally think she was happy that we hadn't gotten in her way for the important things. Once she'd placed them all in the trolley she joined us by the newborn clothes section.

"Avoid pink if you can"

Rose and me both turned to Esme shocked that she would tell us not to buy pink for a baby girl. Rose asked before I got the chance

"Why she's a girl?"

"I'm aware of that Rose but pink with her hair colour. It's not the most flattering colour."

She explained to which I frowned, there's nothing wrong with pink and her hair colour, not really. It was only when Rose added

"And that Edward's such a moron that he would use "I'm not touching it, It's pink" as an excuse."

That I stopped frowning and looked up at Esme smiling in what I hoped was reassurance when I saw her sad eyes. I held up the little pink dress I was already holding in my hand to show her and asked

"Can we at least get this one?"

She smiled, rolled her eyes at me and sighed

"Just put it in the trolley."

I laughed and she moved over the section of pale yellow clothes. As sad as she had looked at Rose's comment I knew that had been at least part of her reason. Rose had told me everything that had happened this morning including what Edward had said to them his words hadn't surprised me in the least. He had no interest in children what so ever and asking for proof was just a way to buy himself time. He probably already knew she was his. If I'm 100% honest I knew who's she was even before they had told me. She was a little miniature female version of him. I'm pretty sure even strangers would be able to guess it well if he was with us anyway.

We'd brought more stuff than I had ever brought before and I'd been to many big sales. The two trolleys (I'd had to run and get another one when the first was full) were overflowing with varies types of clothes in various colours, there were stuffed toys, blankets, bedding and side bummers for her cot as well as a mobile with little brown bears dangling from it, a changing mat, a pale yellow wicker moses basket, a car seat (that would need to be fitted), a extremely modern looking pram that I was totally in love with and a flat pact matching set of cream stained wooden furniture (a cot, a changing table and a little chest of drawers).

We'd practically bought out the shop and Esme's credit card took one hell of a beating as the man behind the till swiped it. She'd blown nearly a quarter of her bank account on that baby and I know that the baby needed most of the stuff we'd brought but I couldn't help but think what if her mum showed up tomorrow and took her away? Edward would probably be delighted that he wouldn't have to man up and do the right thing but it would simply break Esme's heart if she had to return all these things.

Although I don't think Esme would give up on her granddaughter that easily. It wouldn't matter to her now whether the baby's mum came back into the picture, she'd probably be happy if she did, she would still be there for that little girl. Edward may want to be shot of his newborn daughter but Esme would always her grandmother, no matter what.

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A/N: Thanks for reading! Hope you liked it :) Please review :)

Abbie :D


	7. Pathetic Masen Truly Pathetic

A/N: I'm sorry that this chapter is so late! I had some family stuff going on that made me a bit down and I just couldnt write for days! :( I am sorry but theres not much I couldve done to write it faster so all I can do is say sorry and try to update faster next time! :) which im about 99% sure i will! the one 1% is just cos you never know! lol Anyway, Thanks for reading and reviewing,favouriting and alerting this story so far! your fed back makes me smile always so a very big thanks this week since I did need a bit of cheering up! Ok im done now! :) So heres Chapter 7 ...

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Seven

**Edward**.

"So what did you wanna talk about?"

I asked walking away from the front door leaving it open for him to walk through and follow me into the lounge. He confirmed my suspicions that he knew about the headache by replying with,

"What do you think, _dad_?"

I shuddered and said turning around to look at him while I spoke

"Look, I'm really not in the mood and I'm not talking bout this till they prove its mine, got it?"

"Oh mate"

He shook his head

"They already have! Rose just told me. Congratulations by the way!"

A sarcastic grin spread across his face and I felt the blood draining from my face, my head started spinning and my throat began to close up.

_I'm a dad. I'm a fucking dad. This can't be happening! Just can't be! They weren't supposed to actually prove it! At least not this fast! Fuck now I can't breathe!_

The last thing I heard before I passed out on the hallway floor was Emmett saying

"You alright mate?"

_Do I look alright, you dumbass! _

And then everything, even my soon to be brother in laws shocked and even slightly confused face, was lost to darkness.

**Rosalie**.

"Pathetic, Masen. Truly pathetic."

I sighed as I looked down at the excuse for a man who was unfortunately my step-brother as he sat back rigid on the sofa in front of me with an ice pack on his forehead, the expression on his face really was pathetic and there was no other way to describe it but that. I just wanted to smack him hard for being such a wimp. He knew this was coming, yet he sat looking pale as a ghost he stared down at the tiny little girl asleep her new moses basket wrapped in her new blanket. I was supposed to be watching her too but he had that covered since he simply couldn't move his terrified eyes away from her.

Jasper (Alice had told him to meet us here to help after we'd finished shopping) and Emmett were trying not to curse as they attempted to get the large flat pack cot up the curving stair case. It was just too ridiculously funny watching them struggling to think of not watching them even Esme was stifling a giggle into the back of her hand as she too watched them. We shouldn't laugh but it was just too hard not too. Technically one of us three should offer to help but Emmett had forbidden me to help them and even though I had been touched that he cared and worried so much about me I still smacked him around the back of the head for telling me what to do. They were taking the cot upstairs to one of our two spare rooms so we could get it built and beginning setting up the nursery. Esme was going to turn the other spare bedroom into the baby's room and that's why we had to leave her things in the one we were going too since the other room had been decorated. The room was going to painted pale yellow because Esme said we couldn't paint it pink. Stupid pathetic Edward, the pathetic Edward who hadn't moved or said anything in over ten minutes now. If I actually gave a shit about the bastard I might have cared that he looked very close to passing out like a totally pansy all over again.

Yes Emmett had told us the second we'd got through the door and Esme had even shot me a reprimanding look for telling Emmett because now Emmett had ruined the whole 'not tell Edward about him being the dad' plan. Oh well, Esme had made it quite clear that her granddaughter was going no where anytime soon by spending thousands of dollars on her in the shop earlier and practically burning a whole in her credit card. I don't really understand how Esme can honestly believe that her son would give a crap. I didn't understand earlier and I still don't. She would realise soon enough and then she would be playing mum to a newborn again, at 44. She'd been a lot younger last time and it had been a long time since she'd had to do this kind of thing, well it was only 18 years ago but still she wasn't getting any younger, no offence intended to older mums but its the truth, and this was going to be a lot tougher for her if she actually ended up doing it (which she would).

"Fuck! OW!"

I heard my brother scream and turned my eyes away from checking on both the babies to find out what happened. Jasper was kneeling at the foot of the stairs, tears of pain welling up in his eyes and threatening to spill over.

"What happened?"

Alice asked before I got the chance too, she'd been sorting through the bags of shopping when whatever happened had happened, hence why she'd missed it like me. My brother's response was muttered and even I winced when I made out the words.

"Box hit balls"

I didn't get a chance to give my brother sympathy (like he would probably want) or laugh at what had just happened because the change in noise level made the baby scream so loud she could've shattered the windows. I span back around to face her and the sight of Edward, who had finally moved so that he was now sitting as far up the back of the sofa as possible, it actually surprised me that he's weight hadn't caused the sofa to tip backwards, and the sight of him made me laugh out loud. _He was afraid of a baby! Who the hell is afraid of babies anyway? Idiot! _I picked her up, held her close to me and swayed my body in a gentle rocking motion trying to get her back off to sleep. She was due to be fed very soon and if she didn't settle down then I'd have to feed her and try again when she was full.

It took a long time and a bottle to get her back to sleep and settled in her basket. Esme set up the baby monitors and moved one and the moses basket into my room so she could sleep in peace. Edward was soon joined on the sofa by an injured near tears Jasper. Alice snatched the now melted ice pack off Edward and gave it to my brother who let out a sigh of relief that made me cringe just a little. Bless him, he looked like it really hurt.

Now that my brother was whinging on the sofa and couldn't help and me not allowed too Esme made a extremely reluctant Edward help Em with the larger boxes. It took nearly an hour to get everything, that needed to go upstairs, upstairs and even longer to get it all sorted out (which I was "allowed" to help with this time) and set up so it could be used. Dad was home by the time me, Emmett, Esme, Alice and, a now better, Jasper (The bastard had ran off to his room the very second he was no longer needed) had put the flat pack furniture together. We all laughed when dad came into the spare room and my fiance greeted him with "Ta da" waving his hands out, gesturing to the newly constructed cream painted "Loved and Adored" cot. I may have been laughing at Emmett but I had to admit we hadn't done a half bad job of it. No matter what people say flat packs are hard to put together sometimes and I work on car engines, I can take them apart and put them back together again but even I struggled to help them build that cot, changing table and its matching chest of drawers. It was hard work and it had taken hours, I was actually shocked that we were done by the time dad got back I wasn't expecting us to be.

Dad looked just a bit relived that he wouldn't need to help us out. He came into the room properly rather than just lurking in the doorway. He looked at all of us and noticed the one person who should've have been helpings absence. His blond eyebrows made a frown and he sighed annoyed. He must have known he wouldn't be here, we all knew he wouldn't help more than he was made too. Lazy irresponsible bastard that he is couldn't have gotten away from his kids care fast enough, I swear the only thing not lazy about him would have to be his swimmers and even then he didn't take any form of responsibility for what they had created. I looked over at Esme, the poor women still looked crushed that her son didn't want to know. She would have to do something about him and she knew it. I hoped she could come up with another plan to replace her old one since the old one required him being in the dark about the baby's paternity which thanks to Em he no longer was. Well if he hadn't hung up on me then I would've told him not too tell! _Prick_! Esme would really have to think up something good and soon or her already slim chance of getting Edward to play dad would be gone.

**Esme**.

_The next day. _

I hadn't really had a plan at first so I hadn't really had a plan to change but now I did, I had a plan and I was about to get it underway. It was 5:32 am and I had only an hour ago fed and changed the baby. She was now peacefully sleeping again in her moses basket and she had no idea what was about to happen. This plan would work it just depended on me and whether I had the strength to stay away long enough to let him step up and do what he had to do. I had to be extremely quiet if I wanted this to work. So I pushed down very gently on the door handle to Edward's bedroom with my elbow since my hands were full and tiptoed as quietly as humanly possible into the dark room. My bare feet crossed the carpeted floor making not even the tiniest whisper of sound as they did so. I looked towards the bed where my son was sprawled out across his double bed, the parts of him that were on show were bare and I was very grateful that he at least had a quilt covering the one part of his bare self that I didn't particularly wish to see.

Edward was a heavy sleeper and I knew that but it wasn't for him that I was tiptoeing around in the dark. If I wasn't carrying a sleeping new born on my arm then I wouldn't need to be this quiet. I went over to his bed and the chest of drawers that was next to it. It seemed like a safe, stable flat surface to leave her until the morning. She didn't even murmur as I placed her down very delicately onto it. Once she was down I went around the room taking things out of the huge bag I was carrying on my shoulder. I shouldn't really have tried to juggle this much stuff at once but I hadn't dropped anything so far, fingers crossed I wouldn't at all. Thankfully I didn't and I managed to plug in the bottle warmer, set up the already full bottles by the side of it and leave out a couple of diapers and an outfit next to the moses basket without any trouble. I also left a list of simple instructions for everything and some breakfast for him, well what he called breakfast anyway; an energy drink and a bag of chips was not my idea of breakfast.

I did one last thing before I left the room, I went around and locked all the windows so no matter what he couldn't escape his daughter, he had to take care of her. The door closed with a barely audible click and I locked it behind me hoping with every fibre of my being that he would rise to this new challenge that life had thrown his way and be a real man for once. That he'd finally be the man that I thought I'd raised him to be.

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A/N: Yes I know that endings a bit evil but it just seemed like a good place to end this chapter :) The next chapter will be mostly Edward's POV and but there will be a lil bit of Bella too for all of you who think I've forgotten her! I promise i havent! :) Thanks for reading! Hope you liked it :)

Abbie :)


	8. Wake Up To a Headache

A/N: Sorry this took so long ive been busy lol It was ready yesterday and for some stupid reason my Internet wouldn't connect! :( oh well! I hope you like this chapter cos I am a tad worried about it! Edward's bit in particular but with that said here is chapter eight...

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Eight.

**Edward**.

OWWWW!! Its fucking early! Why the fuck is that noise so loud? How can it do that?! Its only tiny! How can it produce that kind of volume? More importantly why does it sound like its in the room with me and not down the hall like it should be? I lifted my head off the pillow and through ridiculously tired eyes looked up to see my worst nightmare sitting on the chest of drawers in front of me. I never moved so fast in my life. I was out of bed, half dressed and by the door in milliseconds. I pulled on the handle but nothing happened. _What the fuck?! Why wont the door fucking open?! _I started hyperventilating for the second time in two days as the reality of my current situation hit me. That baby wasn't going to shut up, no one was coming in to take it away from me this time but I can't do this! I just can't! Why is it even in my room? It shouldn't be here, I saw mum take it into her room last night with her. Oh my god, did mum do this to me?! If I was honest this didn't seem like something mum was capable of doing. She just wasn't that harsh. To me this looked like something Rose would do, Bitch that she was!

The painfully loud crying didn't stop, _Like it was gonna! _Oh my god the only way it would be quiet was if I made it stop. How the hell do you make a baby stop crying?! There's like two things you try right? What are they? You fed them or you change their diap-Oh fuck this!

"MUM!"

I yelled and thumped my fist against the door. The baby's crying got louder and this cry was frightened, terrified. I was scaring the shit out of a tiny baby all because I didn't want hold it! I mean I still couldn't literally do this no matter how much of a bastard I felt. I was not cut out for this sort of thing! I just don't have it in me to be a dad, I'm not physically capable of doing it I mean come on I can barely take care of myself!

I raised my hand to bang on the door again when my mother's timid voice sounded from outside.

"I'm not letting you out."

She stated very simply and I actually felt like I could cry and I NEVER cried.

"Please mum let me out! Don't make me do this!"

Her voice had grow in volume and strength as she answered with

"There's a list next to her basket it'll tell you what you have to d-"

She couldn't do this to me! I wouldn't let her! I wouldn't, couldn't be a dad! I CAN'T do this!

"Please m-" I tried but she spoke over me not even waiting for me to finish.

"I'm not going to let you out until you take some responsibility for your actions and because this time "Please mum" isn't going to work."

I knew she was gone the second she said that. That was her parting line and she'd made her point but she couldn't honestly think that I was psychically able to take care of it, did she?

The screaming was really drilling through me and I just wanted it to stop. I took a deep breath and thought _'Man up you giant girl! You can do this! It can't be that hard if women do it!'_ I made myself take very slow steps towards it. It was almost like i was walking through quick sand as i had to fight to the resistance in my brain to make my legs move forward. I reached the basket, looked down at her crying little scrunched up face and gulped. What am I suppose to do?

"Err hi"

I muttered. What the hell do I do? She wont, can't tell me what she wants so how do I find out? The corner of a sheet of folded paper caught my attention, it was tucked just slightly under the basket. I unfolded it and read the little list scribbled in my mum's hand writing. Now that I saw it I remembered mum saying there was a list that she'd left for me. I should've bothered me just how simply she'd written the bullet points but it didn't. I was clueless and simply was helpful.

After an hour I felt like ripping my hair out from the roots, I tried everything mum had suggested (probably doing it all wrong) on her list but nothing worked. She was still crying.

"Shut up! Just shut up!"

I finally snapped which made her crying turn back into the screaming it had been earlier. She just wouldn't stop and I couldn't take the noise. I was so tired now I just wanted to sleep. Not knowing what else to do I picked her up from where I'd laid her on my bed and held her too my chest like I'd seen mum and Rose do. My eyelids felt painfully heavy as tried rocking her again. When after a few minutes she started to quiet I laid back down on my bed with her still against my chest. I was too tired to even put her back in her basket and to make her drift off that little bit faster I hummed the tune of Mum's piano solo I'd written when I was 14. I could play that song in my sleep. I could hum it too.

**Esme. **

I could hear her crying and I wanted to run up the stairs and comfort her. I sat at the end of my bed and fought the almost overpowering urge to go to her. Carlisle wrapped his arms around my waist, pulled me against him and rested his head on my shoulder. I sighed and didn't relax, my whole body was tense as it fought the internal battle. I'd thought it was hard with just her crying but it got far worse when there was a loud banging before my son yelled in despair.

"MUM!"

He deserved this, deserved to learn responsibility. I knew that but I still got up and went to him. Carlisle followed me and stopped me letting him out. With his arms tight around me again I spoke a little too quietly

"I'm not letting you out."

If Carlisle hadn't been holding onto me so tight I probably would have caved at the uncharacteristic vulnerability and choked up sound to his normally cocky almost arrogant voice.

"Please mum let me out! Don't make me do this!"

I couldn't take it. I hated hearing her cry and I hated hearing my son in pain since he sounded like he was but this had to be done.

"There's a list next to her basket it'll tell you what you have to d-"

It was when he cut across me like normal that I stopped feeling sorry for him. He'd gotten himself into this mess now he was going to do the right thing and sort it, the right way.

"Please m-"

"I'm not going to let you out until you take some responsibility for your actions and because this time "Please mum" isn't going to work." And with that I pushed away from Carlisle and stormed back into our bedroom.

***

After almost an hour of none stop crying we all gathered in the lounge and by all I meant, Rose, Jasper, Alice, Emmett, Carlisle and I, and sat down to discuss intervention. Edward clearly wasn't even bothering to try. I didn't want to give up on my son but we'd left her too long already. It was when he yelled that both me and Rose sprung up in anger.

"Shut up! Just shut up!"

"That bastard!"

Rose spat looking ready to kill as she made for the stairs. I would've been behind her but something stopped me, something inside me told me not to do anything just yet. Emmett called after Rose

"Rose wait!"

She paused on midway up the stairs and turned sucking in a breath to yell something back when I noticed something, it was quiet. Emmett had noticed it before me since he ssh-ed her and said

"Listen."

We all did then and everyone else noticed the sudden blissful silence.

"Oh thank god. Took him long enough."

Alice sighed pulled her hands down from covering her ears and turning to her husband.

"I swear to god Jazz if you ever impregnate me with a demon child like that I'll kill you!"

"She's not a demon, Alice. She's a baby."

Carlisle said a little trace of laughter behind the words. I watched Alice turn to stare at her father-in-law

"When I said demon child I wasn't referring to the baby. No offense Esme."

_No offense? How could I not take offense!_

"He got her to sleep didn't he?"

I snapped. OK so it had taken a while but he'd done it!

"Wait, how do we even know she's asleep."

Rose replied

"Shes just quiet..."

She left the sentence hanging as our eyes meet and both went wide in panic and we both charged up the stairs. I rammed the key into the lock and threw open the door. What I saw made my heart melt on the spot. He was asleep and so was the baby. She was lying across his lap, wearing only her diaper which was on backwards. He really had tried. I had never felt prouder of my son as I as gently and quietly closed the door. I turned to Rose and I knew I looked very smug. I wanted to gloat and brag that I'd known he was capable of doing this but I didn't. I wiped the smug smile off my face and took hold of my step daughters hand.

"Come on, lets go downstairs. You've both got to leave soon anyway."

She squeezed my hand and shot me a very un-Rosalie nervous glance. They were going to Port Angeles in a few minutes to visit Emmett's sister Bella. Rose wanted to meet her properly before her dress fitting tomorrow so they were heading up their now to surprise her, just her though since their grandmother had organised it all.

It was around another ten minutes later when they left. I sat back down on the sofa beside Carlisle and took in a much needed deep calming breath. I relaxed into the cushions as Carlisle placed his arm around me again. I nuzzled into his side and he kissed the top of my head. The silence was utter magic and so was knowing the my son had actually tried (albeit when forced) to be a dad and had succeeded.

**Bella**.

I had crawled into my bed after what I'd done to my baby. I hadn't been able to stand the crushing pain that the separation had on me. I hadn't stayed there long since the need to act normal and not let on that anything had happened made me move. I'd mostly kept to my bedroom and had only come downstairs to pick at my food at mealtimes. I could tell that Gran was getting worried but she never said anything, never pressed me for information. The days past in a blur of emotional pain and longing for the child I couldn't have. It was Friday morning when Gran came upstairs and gently knocked on my closed door.

"Bella honey, I've got a surprise for you"

She sounded so happy that I decided to humour her even though I was not in the mood for whatever this surprise was. I slide out of bed and very slowly got changed into my sweatpants and a hoodie. I left my hair unbrushed and walked downstairs to where gran was now sitting up at the dining table. She wasn't alone at the table though and noticing who one of her guests were the corners of my mouth pulled up into a very tiny smile. It was Emmett, I could tell a mile off. The other guest was female and my guess was that she was my soon to be sister in law. I should've be excited, I should've cared that I'm meeting her for the first time but I just didn't. My body just seemed to be emotionally numb. They both turned around when Gran gave Emmett a little unsubtle signal that I was behind him and when they did any slight trace of happiness left me...

_... __"Edward, are you in there?"  
I felt his body freeze above me before he jumped up away from me so fast it was like I'd stabbed him with a pencil or something. He shot around the room as i pushed myself up from the floor. He managed to pull on his discarded black suit trousers before the door was thrown open to revel a woman standing in the doorway.  
The young woman standing there was the definition of beauty. Her__ very__ presence made me feel inferior and that was before she__'d__ spoke__n__  
"Geez! Masen, couldn't you have gone even one bloody night without bedding some slag?"  
The woman came into the room just one step and i froze on the spot when she did. Her face twisted into a look of disgust as her eyes fell on me  
"A brunette? I thought you preferred the leggy blond whores not the short brown ones?"__ ..._

... It was her. Emmett was marrying the women who's friends/brothers child I'd just secretly had and given up. Seriously you just couldn't make this shit up, could you?

I was on the verge of having a panic attack as Emmett intruded her to me

"Bella, this is Rose my fiancee. Rose, this is Bella."

Her perfectly plucked blond eyebrows formed a frown as she gave me the once over, her blue eyes roaming over my body like she was trying to figure out if I looked familiar. I swear my heart stopped beating as she asked

"Do I know you?"

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A/N: Yes ok that ending is cruel but i have already started Nine so *fingers crossed* it wont take so long! well it wont as long as I dont go and see New Moon 80 times this week! Once already on Friday and im going again after work tonight! :D Seriously that film was just AWESOME! :D

Thanks for reading! :D

Hope you liked it :D

Abbie :D


	9. Do I know you?

A/N: Ok so keeping this authors note short! Thanks for ur amazing reviews on the last chapter :D! and thanks for all the new favourites and alerts etc :D your all awesome :D :D That's it! Here's Chapter Nine...

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Nine.

**Rosalie.**

"Do I know you?"

I could've sworn I knew Bella from somewhere but I also knew that I'd never meet her before. My mind just couldn't place her yet there it was still screaming at me that I'd seen her somewhere before. It didn't help that her eyes had gone all wide when she saw me hence why I'd asked what I had. She didn't answer me but shook her head her face returning to normal and instead grinned at her now confused brother. He seemed to shake off how he felt about what I'd said and pulled his little sister into his arms.

"I haven't seen you in ages"

Bella mumbled and my frown deepened, I didn't recognise her voice. God this was annoying! It was like I simply needed, not wanted, to figure this out. Ugh! this was more than likely going to drive me insane. I forced my face to stop frowning pushing all the frustrating thoughts to the back of my head and I smiled at the pair of them as Emmett replied

"God I missed you Bells."

He really had missed her and I was so glad that we'd both finally gotten to see her, eventually. I'd wanted to meet the girl who was going to be my sister and my bridesmaid so badly it was unreal. She was so important to Em which is why it surprised me that neither him nor Charlie had any up to date photos of her. I'd only ever been shown childhood pictures of her and she looked so different compared to them. She was a curvy girl and without being rude she was bigger than I expected. She'd always looked a little too thin in her pictures. Emmett hugged her just a little bit tighter and it was only when she hissed and winced that he instantly let go.

He looked beyond sympathic as she rubbed her side.

"Sorry I guess I'm a little over enthusiastic"

He apologized and then went on to comment on the one thing you never comment on to a women

"Well to be fair you did used to be a lot thinner."

I snapped at him the second he'd finished speaking.

"You gonna say that to me when I'm huge?!"

His eyes widened in fear as I rounded on him and he stuttered over his next sentence

"Bbbbbut ttthats ... thats different! Your pregnant you're allowed to get big!"

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Bella very openly wince at the word pregnant. My eyes narrowed as I frowned at the sight of her reaction but pretended not to notice it. I turned to her and smiled

"You're not fat, ok Bella. Just don't listen to him he's talking out of his ass."

"I know" She muttered back so quietly I barely heard her. She sniffed and spoke more strongly

"I mean I know I'm not fat and I know Em talks out of his ass. We may have grown up in different states but he's still my brother, I know him better than anyone."

She mumbled out the words towards the end but I still made them out.

_'I know him better than anyone'_ I knew that she probably hadn't set out to hurt my feelings by saying that but it still did. She didn't feel threatened by me, did she? Of course she did. I had too when Alice had come into Jaspers life and when Esme came into dad's. It takes time to adjust, time we don't have since the wedding is only three weeks away. Me being apart of her brother's life was something she would just have to get used too and quick. I could sympathize with her on some level but in the end its simple; She's the sister and I'm the wife, soon anyway. We both have two very different roles to play in Emmett's life but both are important. She's means so much to him, we both do and so we need to get along for his sake. I looked over at Em who was currently throwing worried glances between me and his sister. He really wanted us to be friends and we would be eventually. We have dress shopping tomorrow that's sort of a girl bonding type exercise, right?

Their grandmother who had been pretty quiet during our little talk suddenly spoke up pulling me away from my own mind and reminding of something far more important than 'girl bonding time',

"Are all your introductions done? It's just lunch is getting cold."

I threw myself into my seat as did Emmett while Bella eased herself onto the chair flinching when she finally sat down. That was weird. I soon forgot about all the strange little things Bella keep doing when her grandmother handed me a plate. I dug in the second Em did. God I swear bump is always making me hungry there is no denying that my baby is Em's. It's going to be a total pig when it comes to food just like it's dad. I ate pretty quick for me but I didn't beat Emmett. As Em went into the kitchen to get more food (told you, total pig!) I tried to strike up a conversation with Bella and their grandmother

"We're going to get to try on dresses for the wedding tomorrow, you're not busy are you Bella?"

She shook her head and continued to pick at her food not eating even a bite or lifting her eyes from her plate. I smiled at her even though she didn't look up. I turned to ask their gran if she would like to join us when Bella pushed back her chair from the table and stood.

"If you'll excuse me I'm sorry but I'm not feeling very well."

She looked towards me and she smile with obvious force and no hint of warmth at all

"It was nice meeting you, I'll see you tomorrow."

She left then so quick I almost felt like she'd never actually been there.

"I wouldn't take offence Rosalie. She's not been herself these last few days. You know I think her and friend have had a fall out. She's been acting strange since they went out and Angela hasn't rang for her since then either."

I nodded but didn't take that as an excuse for her coldness. She didn't like me and well that's just tough shit really. I love her brother more than I ever thought it possible to love someone and this marriage will be permanent. I'm going nowhere and if she can't handle that then we're really not going to get on. I wont stop trying since it really does mean alot to Em but if she refuses to accept me then there's very little I can do about it. Em walked back into the room and his face fell at the sight of her empty seat and untouched food. He looked at me a question of her where about's in his eyes

"She went upstairs, said she wasn't feeling well."

He nodded but his eyes looked sad. I would have to try very hard to win her over for Em's sake if nothing else.

**Bella.**

_The next day_

Today was going to be horrible I just knew it. Oh who am I kidding the rest of my life was going to be horrible now that Rose was apart of it! I was going to be on edge all day because if she figured out why she knew me then my life would not be worth living. She looked like a smart women and I just knew that if she figured out who I was figuring out the rest wouldn't take her that long. My stomach ached as I waited for them to come pick me up, I mean it like really throbbed. I rubbed at it with the palm of my hand trying to sooth the pain but it only made it flare up worse.

A shiny red convertible with its roof up turned the corner and I looked up to the sound of the tyres squealing when as the driver broke sharply. Rose stepped out of the drivers seat after pulling up into grans driveway. Of course the gorgeous bitchy blond would have the awesome flashy car because life's just that unkind. I dropped my hands from my stomach as she said hey and told me to get in. I ducked inside the car silently not even responding to the 'hey' and I only spoke when she introduced me to the other two women in the car. I stifled a gasp when the older of the two women turned from the front seat to smile at me. She had to be related to Edward in some way they looked like doubles of one another. Only her hair was a little darker than his, if I remember correctly anyway, her hair was just like the baby's. My chest felt like it was constricting as the memory of her delicate beautiful form appearing in my mind. I tried so hard to push the thoughts of her back that it hit me hard when they broke through. I gulped back to tears that I knew where gathering and focused on Rose's voice as she explained who the women was,

"This is Esme, my step-mum."

It took me a moment to answer her but hearing her voice had pulled me sharply back into reality.

"I'm Bella."

She looked confused at my reaction but soon recovered. Focusing solely on her voice made me keep from yelling my thoughts aloud which was a good thing since yelling these particular thoughts aloud wouldn't be too good an idea. _If my baby wasn't here and she wasn't with Esme where was she? With her dad? What had they done with her?! _

"I know sweetheart. It's lovely to finally put a face to the name. Emmett talks about you all the time."

I should have been worried about what Emmett had probably told them but I didn't care. The only thing that mattered in my head was finding out about where my baby was and if she was safe. Rose introduced her sister-in-law next, her name was Alice and she was currently sitting grinning beside me. I pushed "hello's" past the lump in my throat and tried but failed to smile back at Alice. She seemed nice, she didn't deserve to be glared at which technically I wasn't glaring at her more frowning strongly at the floor. Rose didn't get the chance to notice my odd reaction because Esme spoke up making me smile for the first time that day.

"We better hurry Rose hunny. We can't leave the boys with Kasey too long, four days is far too young to be subjected to their crude conversation all day and besides isn't your aunt and cousin meeting us there?"

Rose and Alice laughed while I just smiled before asking even though I already knew who Kasey was.

"Who's Kasey?"

_Kasey, _my smile grew, _ok its not really what I would've chosen but still my baby has a name! and just thinking about that fact made my smile get bigger. _

Rose's laughter turned bitter and she said

"Kasey is Esme's surprise granddaughter."

Alice snickered before her mouth quickly formed a little perfect 'O' shape and she yelled

"I'm going kill him!"

The other two turned sharply around both their faces asking silent questions

"He called her Kasey yeah?" They both nodded while I just frowned

"Well isn't Kasey that glamour model with the huge rack?"

I saw red. _That bastard named my less than a week old daughter after a glamour model?!_ I gripped the seat cushion so hard my knuckles turned white while my nostrils flared out in anger.

"Bella? You ok?"

I felt drained as the anger vanished, mustn't let on that something's wrong! They'll get suspicious, especially Rose! Can't have her getting too curious because that would be the end of me if she did. I nodded

"Yeah I'm fine, sorry. I just really don't like her." I mumbled feeling ridiculous but knowing that I had to think of something to cover that reaction and fast.

"Oh my god, me too! That women is such a paparazzi hog! You can't buy a copy of Heat or OK without her face being on cover! Its enough to drive you insane!"

I could've actually kissed Alice for what she'd just said even though I didn't really understand what she meant by Heat and OK but still. She'd truly saved my skin by saying that. I nodded enthusiastically and tried to look like I agreed with her even though she might as well have been nattering away in Swedish for all I understood of it.

Rose satisfied with that answer how that I (Alice) was talking it out pulled out of the drive and off towards the dress shop.

***

I'm not a huge fan of shopping especially with crazy shopping addicts like Alice and Rose had turned out to be. After a few hours had past I felt myself getting breathless which I found slightly odd since I had only been walking at a pretty average pace and it wasn't like I was doing anything like hard work. A layer of perspiration started to build up on my forehead and I forced myself to sit down in the window box where I took a deep slow death. I shut my eyes just as the little bells above the door rang signalling someone had come in.

"Auntie Sophie, Ash what took you so long? I thought your flight was supposed to be getting in early this morning?"

I didn't bother to look up since my head was now also starting to throb. What was wrong with me? Why do I suddenly feel so shit? Oh god am I dying? Please don't let me be dying!

A voice I recognised said 'hello' and my head shot up before I could stop it. Ashleigh Greene my biggest enemy from high school back in Arizona (she hated me because I'd been Jake's girlfriend when she'd wanted to be) was standing in front of me hugging the woman my brother was going to marry! I glared at the back of her head hoping to cause the bitch pain just by glaring at her. Her and Rose broke apart and the moment she spotted me her face contorted into an expression equivalent to that of smelling something foul.

"Swan"

She growled out my surname sounding slightly like some kind of jungle big cat, well if they could talk. I opened my mouth to reply when Rose's now hollow voice spoke up

"Oh my god you're her, aren't you?"

Everyone including me turned to stare at her but I was the only one wearing an expression of horror. I started shaking my head silently begging her to shut up and not say it out loud.

"That's how I know you." I shook my head my fiercely and I started to feel light headed, _This couldn't be happening! No!_

"The night I met Emmett, Jasper's wedding." She continued and I felt like I was slowly dying as she revealed what I hoped nobody would ever. My head was spinning but I jumped up to try and shut her up regardless.

"Edward's slag she's you!"

I stood for less than a few seconds before my sudden illness and shock caused me to lose consciousness and collapse to the ground.

* * *

A/N: Ok I have lots to say now, one Kasey is named that solely because the name suggested the most was Cassie. Yes I know there not the same name but Cassie didn't sound much like a possible glamour model to me. lol by the way im sorry if ur name is Kasey and ive just offended you. Bella has collapsed for two reasons, well one but the shock and horror of Rose saying all that made her worse. Shes ill and thats as much as im saying now, sorry. oh and Ashleigh is my friend who badly wanted to be a character in one of my stories, bless her. lol her surname is Brown so I thought i'd have a little joke and called her Ashleigh Greene instead! :) oh and Ashleigh is the one you can all thank for Rose figuring it out in this chapter since I got a lecture when I told her that she wasn't gonna figure it out straight away cos she wasn't gonna. anyway, another huge thank you again for the feedback on the last chapter :D it means alot :D Hope you liked it ...

Thanks for reading :D

Abbie :D


	10. Confidential!

A/N: Ok, this chapter took a very long time to write and i'm sorry. In fact its nearly been a month since chapter nine but to me it doesnt feel like it, i've been WAY too busy! So i'm sorry and I'll try harder to update faster but the point is its done now so here you go, Chapter Ten. Enjoy...

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Ten.

**Edward. **

"Wait, your leaving me all day with her?!"

I panicked as mum gathered up her keys and purse off the table. They couldn't seriously think I'd survive the whole day without their help. I may have managed to shut her up yesterday but I don't know the first thing about baby's hence why it had taken so fucking long to get her to sleep. Mum looked up at me and said

"You'll be fine. You're not on your own, Jasper and Emmett are here too and if Kasey" She beamed as she said the name I'd chosen yesterday "won't calm down again just ring and I'll tell you what to do. Okay?"

I nodded but didn't stop panicking. I looked over to the basket where she was waking up, stirring and yawning widely. I felt like such a girl for thinking it but that yawn was a little bit cute. Well, it was and it wasn't because if she was yawning that meant she was probably about to start crying again. After I heard Rose's car drive off I moved over to the sofa and sat in front of her basket. I stared down at her as she blinked up at me and yawned again her pink toothless gums showing. I wiped the smile off my face as soon as I noticed Emmett grinning at me.

"Hey _dad_"

"Shut it!"

I hissed diverting my stare away from Kasey and over to Emmett, glaring openly at him. Emmett's grin spread wider when he knew he was getting to me. I shook my head annoyed and turned back to Kasey. She was awake, her big green eyes wide and staring up at me.

I smiled when I realised she wasn't crying

"Mornin' "

I said to her and she smiled in reply. Emmett came around and sat down next to me

"Surprised you know what a morning is since you aint seen one in what?" he looked at me thinking counting the number of weeks it had been since school had been out for summer. "Four weeks."

He laughed but I didn't. He was right, I hadn't been up before noon in weeks and I'd liked it but now that Kasey was here I'd learnt that blissful lay ins weren't gonna happen for a while. Mum had made it clear to me yesterday that I was taking care of her and she wasn't gonna help me unless I desperately needed her too. If I'm honest I'm totally shit scared and if I could go back to that night at the hotel, I sure as hell wouldn't fuck her! Since I was pretty sure it was her now, it just had to be. Seriously, why did I choose that night not to listen to the advert: Be safe; use a condom? because that night is the only slip up I can find in my memories and one over average shag was not worth this! I was stuck with Kasey for the rest of my life, mum had made sure to mention that about 1000 times a minute since I'd woken up yesterday afternoon, and there was nothing I could do to change that.

"Dude look at her"

Emmett said pulling me out of my mind and back to the present.

"What?"

"She's smiling."

He pointed out as if it was something surprising. I frowned

"So, What's wrong with that?"

"Oh nothing, Just surprises me that she'd smile at your ugly mug!"

He started roaring with laughter at his own joke and it was only when I punched him hard in the arm that he shut up. Kasey started fussing, making those little noises that meant she was about to start crying. I picked her up and tried to prevent a screaming/crying session rather than wait for her to actually start.

"Are you guys gonna fucking help me or not?!"

Jasper called down the stairs. I frowned again, what were we supposed to be helping with exactly?. Emmett seemed to know because he grabbed the carry basket and headed towards the stairs. I made sure to hold onto Kasey tightly as I followed Emmett up the stairs. The moment Jasper saw us his mouth turned up into a smile and he said

"Aww, look its the alternative family."

He laughed but both me and Emmett didn't find it quite so amusing. Emmett actually looked horrified at even the mere hint that he was gay and he instantly dropped the carry basket and shot across the room away from me. I freed one arm from holding Kasey and bent down to place her back inside her basket.

"So what are we helping with exactly?"

"Painting your _daughter's _bedroom"

That word still sounded feign to me and it still made me flinch. I didn't like the idea that I was responsible for her and had to play 'dad' around her but like I'd thought earlier, I didn't have a choice.

We'd only been painting the walls, a bright shade of yellow, for less than an hour when Emmett's phone started buzzing in his back pocket. He nearly knocked over the paint pot as he reached around to take the mobile out while also trying to climb down the step ladder at the same time but Jasper swiftly moved it out of his way before he could ruin the carpet.

"Hey babe." _Rose. _He was beaming when he answered his phone but the grin on his face rapidly fell away

"What do you mean she's in hospital? She was fine yesterday!"

Emmett fell silent as Rose spoke to him. I couldn't hear what she was saying so me and Jasper just waited for him to tell us what was happening. The mood in the room had changed drastically and almost as if she could feel it, Kasey burst into long over due tears. Even though I was annoyed at her interruption I still jumped down onto to the floor and picked her up again.

"I'll be right there."

Emmett ran from the room then pressing buttons on his phone as he went. Jasper and me shared a quick glance and he ran after him. I felt really helpless and I didn't like that feeling. I wanted to know what was happening but I couldn't go with them, not yet anyway. Kasey needed me here and it was then that having her truly felt like a prison sentence. Emmett wouldn't need me there or anything but it was more that I didn't have the choice, the freedom to follow without notice. I heard the front door slam shut and a car engine rev in the drive. I felt scared once the house was empty. I was left alone with the baby for the second time in two days, only this time mum wasnt downstairs standing by to help if I screwed up. Nobody was coming to my recuse, nobody was waiting on stand by and for the first time in my life I was well and truly terrified.

**Rosalie. **

I couldn't stop myself from pacing up and down the corridor outside Bella's room. I felt guilty as I'd watched the ambulance take her away earlier but now that I was allowed time to think about my discovery of why I knew my soon-to-be sister in law, I couldn't feel anything other than confusion. She was sixteen, maybe fifteen when that had happened (I couldn't remember her birthday), why would she be doing _that_ at that age?! She was supposed to be the good girl, the type of girl who is so innocent that they can't even say the word penis without giggling or blushing, so why? Why would she have a one night stand with my step-brother?!. I marched, head still spinning, past Alice who was sitting on the floor her back up against the wall, when she yelled her voice thick with irritation

"Will you sit down already?"

I stopped walking mid stride, shot a glare down at her before returning to my pacing. Normally I would've said something but I just didn't have the free space in my head to think up a good come back at the moment. _Why isn't Em or Charlie here yet?_ I thought slightly panicked as the door to Bella's room finally opened and my dad walked out, his eyes scanning her chart and frowning.

"Dad?"

I called making Esme and Alice both jump up to stand and face him like myself. His face was twisted in confusion as he muttered

"That can't be right."

To himself and ran off to the nurses station. I ran after him determined to find out what I could because I needed to know that she was gonna be ok. I felt like her being here was my fault even thought I knew it wasn't, she'd complained she hadn't felt well before so the fact that I'd made her faint had nothing to do with it.

I glanced over dad's shoulder to try and see what was written on her chart but he noticed and swiftly moved it out of my sight. I glared at him as one of the nurse's behind the desk handed him a few sheets of paper with yet more of Bella's test results printed on them. He hid those from me too and the building frustration in me turned into anger.

"Dad tell me what's wrong."

I demanded fighting hard to keep my voice at an acceptable volume. He shook his head and said

"I'm sorry, Rose. I can't tell you anything, it's confidential."

_Confidential?! Has he forgotten who she is too me?! Her medical problems aren't confidential to me for fuck's sake!_

"But she's Em's sister, I'm her only family until they get here and you know it!"

He shook his head again and explained

"It doesn't work like that. I'm sorry but I'm simply not allowed to tell you anything unless Emmett or a member of her family says its okay."

He turned to walk away, back towards her room but I wasn't prepared to let it go that easily.

"Dad, I need to know what's wrong!"

"Rosie, you need to calm down before you end up in a bed here yourself. Stress can cause miscarriage and I know you wouldn't want that to happen. None of us do. So calm down and when Emmett gets here, he can tell you everything."

He said all of it without once turning around and the second he'd finished he disappeared back inside her room. I knew he was right so for once I didn't argue. My baby meant more to me than everything else on this earth. I wouldn't risk him or her for this. I slid down the opposite wall, sitting up against it like Esme and Alice had been doing before. My head fell into my hands in despair. Esme slowly sat beside me, placing her arm over my shoulders and pulling me into a hug. I wasn't crying but I was close to it. I just wanted Em here to reassure me that it wasn't all my fault that she was here. I could tell myself it wasn't but a part of me wasn't buying it. Yes, she'd been ill before she'd fainted but I'd sped up the process, hadn't I?.

"Rose?"

I looked up at Alice when she called me.

"I know its not really a good time but back in the shop, Why did you say that Bella was Edward's slag?"

Her eyebrows were furrowed and once she'd said it so were Esme's.

"They've never even met" she continued "so how could she be his 'slag'?"

She air-quoted the word and fell silent, waiting for an answer. How could I explain it too her? They would both kill him if they knew. Oh who was I kidding, I was going to kill him and so it really didn't matter.

"Alice you remember when Edward disappeared during your wedding reception?"

I started

"Jazz asked you to find him and you did, he was in his room."

I nodded to her when she said that.

"Yeah he was but do you remember what else I told you?"

She started shaking her head when she remembered,

"You found half naked with a girl."

"Like normal." I muttered to which Alice laughed but Esme didn't. Her face had turned from a motherly kind expression to one of a burning rage.

"So you're what your trying to tell me is that my son had sex with Bella?" She asked and I could feel her practically shaking with rage. She must have known that not all the girls her son sleeps with are legal, right?. Apparently not. I'd thought that Esme's bad reaction was the worse reaction possible at this moment in time but that was until I heard Alice mutter

"Oh fuck"

I tilted my head upwards to see her staring off down the corridor. _Oh please god no! _I thought as I turned my eyes in the direction hers were facing and met the shocked, equally angry eyes of my fiancé.

**Bella. **

My body ached, my eyes felt heavy and my head throbbed when I finally woke up. The sound of the machines beeping caught my attention and I knew exactly where I was when I heard them, I was in the hospital. My head was telling me that being in the hospital was a very bad thing but it couldn't remember why. I lifted a hand to rub my sore eyes and noticed the IV needle in my hand. Well, that's one reason. _Neddles!_ I shoved my hand down out of my line of sight so that I wouldn't have to look at the frightening needle that was currently stuck into my vein. I blinked slowly watching as a blond male doctor dressed in the traditional white lab coat changed my drip. It was the way his blond hair shone in the sunlight that made me realise the other reason hospitals were very bad right now. His hair was almost that exact same shade of blond as Rose's, and thinking Rose made me think Edward which in turn made me think, _Kasey_! I tried not to hide my building panic as he looked down at me and smiled, his light blues eyes meeting my now awake brown ones.

"Good afternoon, Bella. I'm Doctor Cullen"

He said brightly still smiling happily. I got straight to the point and asked

"What happened? What's wrong with me?"

His smile faltered. _Oh god its bad! _

"You collapsed."

He stated simply and I couldn't help but think, _Yeah I'm aware of that dumbass!_. He flinched and the smile vanished completely and I realised I hadn't actually kept that thought to myself.

"Sorry I didn't mean to say that out loud."

I muttered an apology to which he laughed quietly and said

"I've been called a lot worse by patients far less sick than yourself so I think I'll get over it." going back to accessing my new drip.

"Far less sick" I repeated the three words that had stuck out in his sentence and asked "How sick am I?"

He took a deep breath and finally answered the question.

"You have a fairly serious infection. You will need to stay here for at least a couple of days. You need to rest to let the medicine do its job."

The way he said it made my eyes narrow, I wasn't some stupid child who didn't understand how this shit works and I definitely don't like being patronized. I wanted to ask more questions but I didn't have the courage and I was already terrified about being here, around people who could very easily found out everything, If they hadn't already! I shuddered at the thought. Luckily the doc didn't notice he was too busy messing around with the drip, again. I was staring down into my lap nervously trying to think of a way of getting out of here without them noticing when the doc cleared his throat to get my attention. My eyes shot up to meet his and there was something his eyes held that frightened me, it was a look that just said 'I know you're hiding something'. His mouth parted to speak and I gulped but then quickly smiled to cover it.

"Bella, there was something in your blood results that shouldn't be there." he paused for a moment, I felt my heart sink into my stomach as a feeling of dread spread through me.

"Well, I don't think it should be there."

I looked down at the blanket, trying to look anywhere else rather than meet his suspicious gaze.

"Bella, your hormone levels suggest that your" he paused again like before, like he was trying to think of a good way to phrase it. He took a deep breath and continued "Your hormone levels suggest that your body is currently post natal."

Back in the dress shop when Rose had found out I'd felt like my world had died, like it had shattered, like it was destroyed beyond repair, but now that seemed like a mere crack in the foundations. The doctor knew about Kasey, he had the proof in those test results to try to ruin my life even further. There was no point in hiding it and in my now panicked state I said the one thing I probably shouldn't have said.

"You can't tell my family, please."

My voice was verging on frantic and I was nearly sobbing as I begged him. Sorrow filled his eyes and a helpless look changed his face.

"I'm sorry, Bella. You're a minor. If your mother or father asks I can't lie to them."

"No, you can't." I argued my voice flat with defeat but growing with strength and courage as I spoke up again "You can't do that to me. Please I'm begging you, don't tell them."

He closed his eyes, sighed but didn't cave.

"Where is the baby?"

I shook my head once sharply. If he wouldn't promise to stay silent then I would just have to stay silent instead. If Kasey stayed where she was then with any luck the others wouldn't believe him or his results. Kasey was the only real proof in the end, probably the only proof my dad, Gran and Emmett would believe anyway. There was one flaw in my plan and it again was Rose. She knew about me and Edward and she could easily figure it all out if they told her about all this. I tried not to think about that possibility as I shook my head once again. The doctor sighed again

"Did something happen to the baby?"

I shook my head again more fiercely.

"Bella" He sighed again this time more from annoyance than any other emotion

"I'm assuming since your family don't know anything, that your baby is not at home with you so I need to know where you took the baby because it can't survive long without care-"

He had more to say, I knew that but a surge of white hot anger powered through my veins at what he was suggesting. I'd barely held her but I loved and cared about her more than anybody else ever could. I glared at him and my words came out low and deadly

"You think I would just dump her and not think twice about it! What kind of a person do you think I am?!"

His eyes had gone wide in shock and fear. He quickly regained some control over himself and spoke calmly

"I'm sorry that I offended you but I need to know-"

"Well I wont tell you anything!" I spat still glaring up at him "Just get out."

When he showed no sign of leaving I yelled, my voice getting louder with each new word.

"leave me alone and get the fuck out!"

He left pretty quickly then. I knew he would come back at some point but what did it matter if he did? My secret was already out, the shit had already hit the fan! But I simply couldn't face that fact. _This can't be happening _I thought _why is it that nothing in my life can ever go right? _

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading, hope there's no mistakes in Bella's POV, I got tired trying to edit it. sorry :(.

Anyway, thanks again. I hope you liked it. Please review :)

Abbie :D


	11. A Little Chat

Yes I know, I havent updated in over two weeks! Again I'm sorry but things just keep happening :( Anyway, I wont ramble on, heres Chapter Eleven...

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Eleven

**Emmett.**

After being delayed by a pair of not so smart receptionists me and Jasper finally reached the right ward. As soon as we walked through a set of double doors we heard Alice speaking

"You found him half naked with a girl."

_What the hell were they talking about? _This was defiantly one of those conversations that sounded wrong if you didn't hear the beginning. My Rose muttered a not so quiet reply and we both knew what they were talking about when she did.

"Like normal." _Edward!_ It had to be him that they meant. Esme replied in a tone of voice that didn't suit her, she was seriously pissed off!

"What your trying to tell me is that my son had sex with Bella?"

I felt my mind and body freeze with shock, what did she just say? Can't have heard her right!

"What?"

The three of them turned to stare at me looking embarrassed, guilty and fearful all at once. Esme calmed first and spoke what had to be a lie.

"Nothing dear."

If it was nothing then why did they look so damn guilty?

"Don't give me that shit, Esme! What did you just say?!"

I was seeing red now and I couldn't see anyway back from the anger.

"Emmett, sweetheart I promise it was nothing important. Rumour at most, now you need to calm down your sister needs-"

Mentioning why I was actually here forced me to calm a little bit but it was only when I caught sight of Carlisle in front of me that I temporally stopped planning Edward's death in my head. He spotted us and walked over. The look on his face made every emotion inside me vanish. Ripping dickward's head off could wait for at least a few minutes because that look told me my sister was in some serious shit and the fear I had for her health made me forget, for now.

**Rosalie**.

I could've kissed Dad for appearing when he did. I really didn't want to have to explain what I'd seen to Em. Me, Alice and Esme may have threatened to kill the little shit for sleeping with a sixteen year old but truly none of us probably would've done anything. I may have slapped him but that would've been pretty much it where as Em, Em really would put him six feet under or if he was lucky, Intensive Care. Dad took Em and me into a family room, the place where they deliver all bad news. Esme waited outside in the corridor to grab Charlie the second he got here, which would hopefully be sooner rather than later. Em sunk down into the chair like the fight had been sucked out of him. His sister meant the world to him so I could understand and sympathise with his mood. I barely knew his sister but I was scared because whatever was wrong with her it wasn't good. Me and dad sat down at almost the same time, dad let out a deep sigh that cut through the tense atmosphere like a razor blade. Em straightened up instantly, like the noise had tazered him in the back and asked

"So what actually happened? Why is she here? What's wrong with her?"

I felt like it was my responsibility to answer the first two questions since I'd been there and it was in a tiny way my fault though I wasn't planning on telling Em that bit.

"We were shopping and she fainted. She'd told us she wasn't feeling well earlier but I hadn't thought anything of it, just that maybe she was getting a cold."

Em watched my face intently as I spoke, like every word coming out of my mouth was important to him. He turned to dad then and spoke like the question was painful to say

"It's not a cold though, is it?"

Dad shook his head once and folded his hand in his lap nervously.

"No she doesn't have a cold. I hate to tell you this Emmett but it is more serious than a simple cold."

My heart sank into my stomach and I'm pretty certain Em's did same. His face scrunched up like hearing it hurt but he nodded for dad to continue.

"She's developed an infection-"

My held breath was released in a sigh of relief.

"An infection is that all?"

Dad looked a little hacked off at my question and responded sharply

"Infections are serious if not treated, Rosie."

I wanted to say something snappy back but Em hurried asked

"You're treating her now though, right?"

I could hear the shake of worry and the crack of fear in his voice. My hand was already clasped tightly around his but clearly that wasn't nearly enough support. I rose out of my chair and perched myself on the arm of his. He snaked his large arm around my waist and I hugged his shoulders while dad answered.

"Yes. She's on some rather strong antibiotics at the moment and she will need to stay in to be monitored for a few days."

_That was it? A few days in hospital and a course of antibiotics? _

I felt Em exhale with relief a bit like myself only a few seconds. He smiled at dad

"So she aint gonna die or anything?"

Dad returned the small smile but the worry didn't leave his face which made me think there was more too all this than what he was telling us.

"No she isn't going to die, not right this second anyway."

Dad sat silently frowning while Em's smile grew. I felt Em looking at me but I just continued staring curiously at my dad. After a few too silent minutes I spoke up

"What aren't you saying?"

Dad sighed when he knew I wasn't prepared to go without every scrap of information he could give us. If there was more to this than a simply infection Em and me needed to know. Emmett's beautiful grin died, falling from his face in less than a second.

"Carlisle, you gotta tell me everything, this is my little sis we're talking about so I need to know"

Dad ran a nervous hand through his hair, picked up Bella's medical chart from his desk in front of him.

"The infection that your sister contracted" He paused like he was having difficulty saying aloud what he had too

"Well, it is normally only found in women who have recently given birth."

Emmett froze in shock and my brain went into over drive, _So Bella had not only had sex with my step brother, She'd also had a baby? What the fuck?_

The door to the office opened just as Em recovered enough to ask sounding horrified at the mere suggestion

"My sister had a baby?! What? When? How?"

Esme's green eyes went huge with surprise but her little reaction was overshadowed by Charlie's fatherly one. His face flooded with colourfully rage and he turned storming down off the corridor towards Bella's room. Dad, me and Emmett all jumped to our feet pausing only a few seconds before charging after Charlie. _Why was it that ever since Kasey appeared in our lives everything had turned into a bloody soap opera? _

I froze watching unfocused as Emmett grabbed his fathers arm to prevent him making more of a scene. Thinking Kasey's name had made my brain goes crazy, the image of her appeared in my mind and although she looked so much like Edward there was something more feminine and delicate about her features, delicate like Bella. I heard myself gasp at the realisation. I didn't want it to be true but everything was slotting into place like a giant jigsaw of events in my head. I vaguely registered dad talking to a now much calmer Charlie. How they had managed to calm him I didn't know nor did I actually care right now as I marched off toward Bella's room. Anger was building gradually in me, I could feel it brewing under the surface but shock numbed it temporally from actually showing. I pushed open the door and locked it shut behind me.

**Bella**.

I lifted my head the tiniest bit away from my pillow at the sound of the door opening. My eyes noticed only one thing in the three milliseconds that I was looking, a quick flash of blond. _Oh god not him!_ I thought as I buried my head deeper into the pillow. He was only just in here, can't he piss off and leave me alone already?! I wouldn't tell him anything, no matter how many times he bugged me! Nobody was going to find out about Kasey, unless I decided to admit everything which wouldn't be happening anytime soon! Well, there was one other person who could potentially tell and that was-

"I think you and I need to have little chat."

_Oh fuck!_

I slowly sat up feeling like a frightened mouse under a predator's stare. Her look was cold and accusing. Fear spread like ice through my veins, _she knew!_. I lent back against the pillows trying not to let my panic show. I didn't smile as I prompted her with

"Well talk then"

She threw herself down into the chair beside me, _oh god this is going to be a long conversation isn't it?_

Her eyes narrowed slightly and I couldn't tell at first if she was angry or simply confused. If she had found out what I thought she probably had confusion was more than likely what she was feeling now. I couldn't hold her stare for long and looked away feeling guilty and ashamed. I wanted to run but felt too weak from medication to actually try.

"Someone's been busy. First you have sex with my brother."

I flinched and when she saw she asked

"So it was you then?"

I looked across at her, _was there even a point in denying it? _I wasn't really sure why I did it but I nodded. I felt tears forming and forced them back because now was not the time to cry. Crying makes you appear weak and since Rose's is already in a stronger position than me it's probably not a good idea to make it worse by crying. Rose nodded back to me

"You see I knew that I'd seen you before. Didn't recognise you straight away and now I know why. You've changed a lot since then haven't you? Em was right, you have gained weight. Well, Baby weight but still same difference."

_Oh holy hell! If there is a god kill me now. _

"Get out. I don't want to talk to you anymore."

I reached up to press the buzzer that would bring a nurse rushing in. She leant across faster than I could off and moved my arm away from the buzzer.

"Really wouldn't do that if I were you but if you don't want to talk to me anymore then maybe we should get Emmett in here or Charlie. I'm sure they'd both love to have this conversation with you."

Whatever shred of colour left in my face drained and my blood ran cold. This couldn't be happening! Dad and Emmett couldn't know about Kasey, right?! Life's just not that cruel? _Oh no wait yes it is! _

"Now you have one chance to redeem yourself a little bit with me Bella. Tell me everything that happened, absolutely everything and I promise not to ring my brother to tell him that we've found Kasey's mum."

The muscles in my throat constricted till it was almost impossible to breathe right and I had to scrunch my eyes up tight to keep from crying like the frightened child that I was.

"Even if you brought her here, they wouldn't believe you!"

I said knowing that actually they probably would. Especially if Edward told them that I was who Rose said I was. Oh god, if Edward admitted to Dad and the others that he'd slept with me, wouldn't he be arrested? I'm underage and I'm pretty sure he's not!

_Brilliant_! So not only will my brother and father find out that I gave birth to an illegitimate child in my bedroom, I will also end up a single mother with no help what so ever because not only will everyone disown me but Kasey's dad will also be imprisoned for unknowingly sleeping with a minor! _Isn't life simply fucking fantastic? _

Rose slipped her phone out of her pocket and swiped her the tip of her finger down the touch screen, like she was looking through her contact list. I couldn't tell her! It was like there was something inside my head yelling at me when I opened my mouth to try. If you tell her you didn't know about being pregnant, she will laugh at you and call you liar. I knew I was right so I kept my mouth firmly closed until she looked up at me

"Last chance?"

"If you care about your brother even one little bit you wont bring him here. They'll hurt him when they find out! You know they will!"

She rolled her eyes at my feeble attempt to sway her from ringing Edward. She smiled before pointing out

"Well if their going to hurt him might as well do it in a hospital."

She tapped the screen and my heart stuttered with panic. _This can't be happening!_ It had to all be a bad dream, I pinched myself to try and prove that theory but it only made my skin sting and my eyes water.

_"What?" _The voice that I recognised as Edward's yelled over the sound of Kasey wailing in the background. It felt like there was suddenly a magnet in my heart, a magnet that pulled me towards her. I had to fight the urge to get out of bed and run to her. Even though she was currently miles away from me I still would've done it had I not been so ill and weak in bed.

"Can you come up to the hospital?"

_"Er Rose can you not hear that noise? I don't think we're going anywhere any time soon" _

"Well that's a shame."

He sighed _"Why what's wrong?"_

"Oh nothing. Not important."

_"Just fucking tell me or I'll hang up"_

I closed my eyes waiting for what was coming. Trying in vain to prepare myself for everything that was about to happen all the while knowing that actually nothing probably could. Rose's voice lost its mocking bitchy tone and turned more soft as a single tear escaped to roll free down my cheek.

"I found Kasey's mom."

* * *

Sorry about that ending but I do love a good cliffhanger lol Well that's not really a 'good' cliffhanger but still :)

Anyway, hope you liked it and I'm sorry this ones not quite as long or as good as the last chapter but hey I tried! :)

Hope you liked it and Thanks for reading :D

Abbie :D


	12. Kasey's Mum

Only just over a week this time :D I'm getting better :D Go me!! lol

Heres, Chapter Twelve, Hope you like...

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Twelve

**Esme. **

"Carlisle, I don't understand. Emmett said that his sister had had a baby? That's not possible is it? She's far too young."

I asked quietly when Emmett had directed his father into the office. The tiredness in his eyes seemed to increase when he looked down at me.

Sighing he stated

"I'm sorry, I'm not-"

I nodded remembering the rules he had to follow when it came to patient information. Bella was his patient meaning he couldn't tell me anything and I accepted that.

"Don't apologize. I shouldn't have asked."

His smile wasn't his usual one and I could tell this was causing him more stress than most other patients would. This was just too close to home for it to be easy. Charlie had been a good friend of mine since Edward was a toddler and a good friend to Carlisle also since I'd met him two years ago. It was no wonder really that he looked like he was struggling with all this.

"You bitch!"

Both me and Carlisleturned to the sound of Bella yelling. The noise seemed to wake Carlisle up somewhat and he snapped back into being the strong confident doctor that he normally was. I was confused at first, _who was actually with her? My guess was a nurse but why would she be calling a nurse a bitch?_It didn't make sense to me, though nothing seemed too lately, until Carlisle moved over to the door and after not being able to open it called through it

"Rose open the door."

His voice was calm but I could hear something in it that told me he was about to lose his temper. I'd only ever seen him lose it once before and that was because of Edward. After a long day of performing multiple surgeries and in the end nearly losing a patient, it had been understandable when he'd snapped at Edward for coming home late and drunk for the fourth time that week. Edward hadn't done it again since, or at least he hadn't been caught. The click of the lock brought me back from the memory and forced me to look towards the open doorway. Rose stepped outside her phone clamped to her ear. She held up one finger telling us not to interrupt her with the action. Carlisle shook his head looking irritated and slipped past his daughter into the room, checking on Bella I assumed.

"You're leaving now?"

She wasn't close enough for me to hear the response but she soon added "Ok, see you in a bit." and hung up. After slipping her phone back into her pocket I asked tilting my head towards the room as I said it

"What was all that about?"

Her eyes turned just a tiny bit guilty. _What had she done to make her look like that?. _She glanced at the slightly open door of the office where Emmett was waiting with Charlie. Carlisle was going to have to go through everything with them both again. Rose turned her eyes around onto the corridor and frowned.

"Where are-"

"Alice and Jasper? They went to get to coffee, decaf for you obviously."

I smiled when she did. Their was something worrying about the way she'd dodged my question, it was almost like she didn't want me to know.

"Rose, why was Bella upset?"

I asked and added

"What did you say to her?"

Her eyes clouded again with guilt and also this time anger but she didn't speak. She was being unusually quiet and that bothered me. I sighed when she hesitated again and remained quiet.

"Esme, I'm sorry."

My eyes widened with surprise. _What on earth is she apologising to me for? By the looks of it she should be apologising to Bella not me._

"For what exactly?"

She lent back against the corridor wall and took a deep breath.

"I yelled at Kasey's mum before I knew the whole story."

I felt my eyebrows pull together to form a frown. She couldn't have said what I thought she had, could she?

"What are you talking about, Rose? How could you yell at Kasey's mother? We don't even know wh-"

Almost like a light bulb being switched on in my head I knew what was she getting at. The memories of old conversations that hinted towards this outcome sped through my mind, blurring into one.

_"That's how I know you. Edward's slag she's you!" _

_"Why did you say that Bella was Edward's slag?"_

_"Remember when Edward disappeared during your wedding reception?"_

_"You found him half naked with a girl."_

_"My sister had a baby?!" _

I started shaking my head in denial. I didn't want Bella to be Kasey's mother. Not that I had anything against her, I barely knew her, it was more her age. _Sixteen, she's still at school! _I felt like my heart was breaking for her and pressure started to build up behind my eyes. It was silly to cry over this discovery but I couldn't stop myself. _How scared must she have had to have been to do this to her daughter?._I thought it over for a few minutes before realising something, That she hadn't done that terrible a thing. Yes, she had in a way 'dumped' Kasey but it wasn't abandoning her like it could have been. I'd seen news stories before where teenagers had left their newborns in bins through fear of being found out but Bella had found us. She'd taken her child to her father and considering she lived in Port Angeles, had driven miles to do it. The one thing I couldn't make sense of was why her grandmother hadn't done something to stop all this, _why hadn't she known or even suspected that her granddaughter was pregnant?_.

"Erm Esme, are you ok?"

I turned to Rose and saw my worried husband standing just behind her. I nodded but knew that I was lying. They both knew too. My heart was beating a little faster than it probably should've been and my cheeks felt damp. I'd felt the tears before but hadn't realised that they'd actually fallen. I wasn't sure when I decided upon it but I looked up and asked Carlisle

"Can I speak to Bella, please?"

Looking confused as to why I would want to in the first place, he shook his head for 'no'.

"She needs to rest. I called the nurse in to have her sedated."

Even though I'm disappointed I nod my head to him, this conversation I was going to have to have with Bella would happen at some point. If she was Kasey mother then she would in lives for the quite some time, if not indefinitely. I would be patient and wait until she was better if i should have to. Carlisle's hand squeezing my shoulder alerted me to the fact that I'd stopped listening to them both.

"Are you sure you're alright?"

He asked worried and confused about my sudden, to him, mood change. _She's 16_, only 16!

"I'm fine, go talk to Charlie."

he nodded looking unconvinced that i was 'fine' but with a kiss on my cheek he turned and headed back towards the office. This wasn't exactly going to be easy for him to explain. I was still in shock from Rose basically telling me. I felt sorry for my husband as he slipped inside the room and I wondered how charlie would take it. He'd already reacted badly to overhearing only part of the conversation so what would he be like when Carlisle had to tell him everything? Had Rose told her dad her suspicions like she'd told me? If she had would Carlisle tell them to Charlie or would he wait till they'd proved it first? I guessed the latter.

When and if they'd proved it, what would happen to my son? Even as his mother I could quite happily called him various swear words for what he'd done, so what would Emmett and Charlie? I shuddered to think about how badly they would hurt him. Well, Charlie may not hurt him, arrest him for having sex with his underage daughter, now that was more likely. I would have to try and talk him out of it although part of me could see this whole mess ending our friendship. I needed to speak to Edward, warn him to stay clear of the hospital for the time being. Yes, him not being here didn't that they wouldn't want to hurt him, it just might prevent it for a few days. Still it would be better if he didn't show his face around them just yet.

"Rose, can I borrow your cell?"

She looked surprised that I'd spoken to her but quickly handed her phone over to me. Muttering a 'thank you', I scrolled down her contracts and found my sons number. It rang continuously for around five minutes before the answer phone told me he wasn't going to answer. What the hell was he so busy doing that he couldn't answer the phone?

**Edward**.

_"I found Kasey's mum."_

I nearly dropped the phone and had to tightened my grip on Kasey, just in case, as I asked

"What you on about?"

_"She's at the hospital. Well, I know you slept with her since I practically walked in on you."_

I knew the second she said who she was talking about. She hadn't really walked in on us though, not really. When I didn't say anything she kept talking

_"You know that girl at Alice and Jasper's wedding? Or was their more than one?"_

"I knew who you meant Rose!"

Just as I said that I heard a voice snap here Rose

_"Will you stop looking at me like that? You bitch!"_

I recognised the girl from the hotel voice, and couldn't help but think,_ How in the hell did she find out who I was or where I lived?_. Kasey seemed to realise I wasn't that much attention to her anymore and the volume of her cries shot through the roof.

"Ok ow!"

_"Have you tried-" _

Rose started to ask when she suddenly stopped and muttered

"_Shit_"

I couldn't hear anything else on her end because Kasey was so determined to be heard. While there was nothing but silence on Rose's end I put Kasey back inside her carry basket and sorted out her travel bag. Luckily for me, mum had made up a neat pile of everything I would need for today so all I did was grabbed the bag and put most of it into there.

"Rose, I'm coming up there now."

_"You're leaving now?" _

"Yeah, I just said that!"

I snapped, when the never ending crying started to get to me, and to my shock and surprise she didn't retaliate and just ended her call with

_"Ok, see you in a bit."_

I frowned at my cell for a second before shoving it back into my pocket and hooking the handle of Kasey's basket onto my elbow. I threw the bag strap over my shoulder and headed out the front door. She quited down a bit as we walked out onto the half empty driveway. My car was parked furthest away from the house and I have to admit I struggled a bit to unlock the door once I got there. It was hard to manoeuvre with Kasey and her bag weighing down each arm.

I dropped the bag and lent across the seat to fix her basket backwards to the front passenger seat. I did it exactly how mum had showed me so I hoped it was right. Throwing the bag down into the space beneath the passenger seat, I quickly and as quietly as possible closed my door. I started the car and started off down the drive. Kasey calmed, until was practically asleep again, _oh so driving helps then? _I mused as I pulled onto the main road. My phone started ringing, and I shoot my hand off the wheel to answer it but stopped mid-way to get it. With one quick glance over at Kasey, who was happily falling in and out of sleep, I put my hand back on the steering wheel and ignored it. _It's not just my life anymore..._I lifted some pressure off of the accelerator because of that thought also. I hated driving slow but I couldn't risk it anymore. I felt like such a big girl for admitting it, but I actually cared about that kid, more than I'd admit to any of my mates. God if they ever found out about Kasey they would take the piss something chronic. Well, they take the piss more about the fact that mum's got me playing dad to her. It wasn't so bad though, it wasn't great but it wasn't as horrible as I'd thought. Yes, having her meant I'd been made to cancel some plans with the guys and some with two ridiculously gorgeous girls but they could all be rearranged.

_Maybe mum would babysit at some p__oint_- the thought cut off there as I suddenly realised, _If Rose had found Kasey's mum then would she want her back? _But maybe she wouldn't. She had technically given her up to me when she'd left her, did that mean she didn'twant her? or that she was just scared? like mum thought. Part of me wanted her mum to take her back, so I could get my life back on track and just put all this 'parent' shit behind me but another part of me yelled at me to fight for her. Even though, I really wasn't good at being 'dad' and again I wouldn't ever admit it to anyone but my chest got a little bit tighter at the thought of her leaving. I shook off the thought until I pulled into the car park. It wasn't worth worrying about just yet.

I didn't take as long to remove the carry basket as it had to put it in. I wanted to race up to the ward but two things stopped me. One, Kasey was finally asleep, like properly this time and two, I didn't know which one. Juggling the bag and basket, I somehow managed to get my phone out of my pocket.

"Rose, which ward?"

_"Edward you need to go home, ok?"_

Mum? Why did she have Rose's phone?. Frowning I told her

"But Rose said she'd found Kasey's mum! besides I'm not dragging her home again, she's just got to sleep."

I'd hoped mum would cave and tell me if I mentioned Kasey but she didn't, she just said_._

_"Go home. You being here isn't going to do any good, trust me!"_

She sounded panicked about something but I didn't care, I was going into that building and I meeting the woman who'd abandoned her- our child on me!

"Mum, I'm not going."

I fought hard not to yell at her. The words were forced out through gritted teeth however because I couldn't shout. She sighed but didn't relent and tell me the damn ward number. Annoyed I headed inside into reception, going straight towards the curved desk. The receptionist, a pretty young blond girl, smiled when she saw me. Her smiled faltered somewhat when she noticed the baby basket but it didn't matter what she thought right now.

"Can I help you?"

__

"Edward, please just go home!"

I heard mum and ignored her.

"Um, yes. Could you tell me where I could find Doctor Cullen?"

She pecked away at the computer keys and then hesitated,

"He's actually with a patient at the moment was he expecting you?"

__

"Please, don't! Just go home! I'll babysit Kasey so you can go out tonight, if you do?"

She sounded pretty desperate now but I couldn't let this go. I couldn't just forget what Rose had said and walk away. This was a big deal, so I had to know.

"Erm, not really but he's my step-dad. I just needed to ask him something that's all. If you could just tell me the ward number I can find him myself. It's not too urgent, I'll wait till he's free."

I smiled innocently at the receptionist and her smile returned.

"He's up on second floor, ward 6. Did you want me to ring ahead for you?"

__

"Edward, just don't! It's important for your health that you don't come up here!"

That caught my attention but I quickly shook my head to the receptionist, thanked her and headed for the elavator.

"My health?"

I questioned as I stepped inside and pressed the number 4 button.

__

"Yes! Your health! Now just go home."

The elevator dinged, doors opened onto a busy corridor.

"Geez pushy parent or what mum? I really don't think she can hurt me too badly if shes in the hospital."

I told her trying not to laugh. I quickly located the ward with the number 6 hanging above it and I pushed through the double doors just as mum said

_"You don't understand! It's not her hurting you that's worrying me"_

She paused when she saw me and I looked down the corridor to see her, Rose, Alice, Jasper and Emmett. She turned away from me and looked straight at Emmett as she said

"It's her brother."

* * *

Yeah another Cliffhanger, i'm sorry! Please don't all hate me! :(

Please review, let me know what you thought about this chapter or even maybe what you'd like to see happen in future chapters? :) Well, besides the obvious! lol

Thanks for reading :D

Abbie :D


	13. The Big Brother

Woo, I'm done :D Eventually! lol Sorry again at how long this took, I don't know whats the matter with me I used to update sooo much faster than this :( Ok, If i'm honest I'm not sure about this chapter and its worrying me a little bit but I hope its not too bad and that you enjoy reading it anyway :) Thanks for all the review, favourites and story alerts on this story so far! Sorry I haven't thanked all you guys nearly as much as I should! I really do appreicate your feedback :)

Anyway, Heres Chapter Thirteen...

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Thirteen

**Rose**.

It hadn't taken long to explain the simplified version of events to Emmett and Charlie. They were still in shock by the looks on their faces when I'd taken Emmett out into the corridor. Charlie had to stay behind with Carlisle to sign the paper work, so the nurses could examine Bella properly and confirm what the test results had already shown. Stepping out into the corridor I noticed two things; Esme was talking frantically into my cell phone and Alice and Jasper were back with the coffee looking thoroughly confused. _Guess nobody's bothered to update them, _It could wait though. I held Em's hand, squeezing his fingers in reassurance once before he looked up at me. His expression was pained

"How can this be happening?"

I just held his hand gradually tighter as he continued through the next stage on the way to acceptance.

"She can't be a -" he swallowed "a mum! I'm the big brother, It's my job to protect her-"

Tears sprung up so quickly I hadn't seen them coming but being Emmett he fought them off and just got angry to hide them.

"To stop this kinda shit from happening to her!"

He removed his hand from my hold and took his rage out on the wall next to him. His knuckles were grazed and raw as he pulled his hand away from it's undamaged surface. Breathing hard and fighting his tears again he leant against the wall he'd just punched and took deep breaths. Looking defeated as he stared down at the floor he muttered sadly

"This is all my fault."

I went to stand in front of him and by taking a hold of his chin in my hand I tilted his face up to make eye contact.

"Listen to me. This is not your fault. Not even slightly your fault."

He didn't nod or even seem to accept what I was saying, he just pulled me towards him and hugged me tight to his chest. He hide his face in my shoulder and I whispered into his ear.

"I mean it Em, none of this is your fault, it's-"

"Edward, just don't!"

Esme yelling, pleading with her son down the cell phone forced Emmett to come to senses but not in a good way. His eyes turned dark, clouded with rage at merely hearing Edward's name. They were friends and he hadn't taken it well when we'd told him. In fact he hadn't believed us at first, even with Edward's reputation It was only when I'd explained that I'd seen them together that he'd relented into believing the truth.

Now he was just angry. Frighteningly so. I tried to block him from charging straight over and taking it out on Esme, which looked very likely right now and stayed rooted in front of him. He moved easily past me with forced calm and care. He was beyond return now, when Edward got up here, he would regret ever laying eyes on Bella. Emmett marched over faster than I could keep up with. Esme moved away from staring off down the corridor to looking up towards Em. Her face was terrified as she spoke again into the cell phone.

"It's her brother."  
We all turned our heads to where Esme had been looking a moment ago. I could've guessed that he was there but it was almost timed too perfectly. Almost like it was planned, like some sick person was messing around with our lives making all this crap happen around us.

The fear in Edward's eyes was as strong as the anger in Emmett's and we all knew what was going to happen before it did. Emmett was gone, moving towards Edward so fast it was almost impossible. He deserved what was coming and I wasn't going to stop Emmett until I caught sight of Kasey, sleeping in her basket which hung on Edward's arm.

"Emmett, stop!"

He didn't and I flinched at the crack that sounded when Em's fist met its target, Edward's face. As Edward staggered to kept himself standing upright both me and Esme rushed towards them but I got there first. He drew back for another hit and even though I knew I'd regret it I jumped in front of his fist. Luckily, his knuckles caught only the side of my arm. He hadn't been aiming for Edward's arm, and we were around the same height after all, so he most have seen me move to block him. My arm throbbed just a little but I didn't let on that it hurt. Emmett looked confused, shocked and ashamed when his eyes met mine.

I didn't want to have to explain why I stopped him especially since I was all for him beating the crap out of my step-brother and instead of answering the questions that were written plainly across his face I just turned to Edward, who was wiping blood off his upper lip and said taking Kasey from his arm,

"Don't think I did that for you."

He knew that already, I could tell because he helped me take Kasey and slipped the bag off his arm handing it to Esme. Esme was nearly in tears as me and to my surprise Edward made her go back over with Alice and Jasper. When we were both out of the way of their fight. I took a disgruntled Kasey out of her carry basket and gave her to Esme. She needed a distraction from what was happening or going to happen to her son. Emmett was temporally stunned by what we'd just done. Stunned enough to listen as Edward tried talk to him.

"Emmett, I promise I had no idea who she was."

Em didn't interrupt but it didn't look like he gave a damn about Edward's defence.

"I never would have touched her if I'd kn-"

"Don't give me that shit! You wouldn't have cared either way!"

Edward's eyes widened and he looked a little hurt by what Em had said.

"I wouldn't have touched her!" He repeated with a little more force. Emmett was still disbelieving and who could blame him with Edward's track record. He'd proved time and time again that it didn't matter who the girl was as long as she was willingly.

"I don't care! It's doesn't fucking matter! It's done now! You can't take it back!"

As Em ranted angrily, Alice leant forward and asked

"What's going on? Does Em know about Edward and Bella, you know, getting it on?"

I rolled my eyes at her and muttered a reply

"There's more too it than that."

Just as she started to ask more questions Emmett's next sentence silenced her.

"She's my sister, you bastard! You got my sixteen year old sister pregnant! You can't change it!" His hand balled up into a tight fist at his side and I knew when I saw it that Edward was going to feel his fist again sooner rather than later.

"And you sure as hell can't apologize for what you've done so stop trying!"

With that said Emmett lashed out again, hitting him in the chest this time. We all winced at the sight and Esme closed her eyes holding back a sob.

Edward didn't fight back much to my surprise. Yes Emmett was stronger than him and could probably overpower him easily but Edward didn't even trying to deflect the hits. He just took them like he thought the same as me and Emmett. That he thought he deserved this too. _Was it possible that maybe over the last few days, my step brother could have actually have grown a conscious? _I turned away from their fight and saw her tighten her grip on Kasey as Emmett hit her son again. After seeing tears drip down Esme's cheek I knew I had to stop this. He'd been hurt enough for one day.

"Em-" I started but a passing nurse beat me to it.

"Oh my! Stop fighting at once or I will call security!" The uniformed middle aged women threatened horrified at what she'd left an adjoining ward to witness.

"There won't be a need for that, I'll handle this."

I hadn't noticed Carlisle and Charlie leave the office but they had. Charlie, who was still wearing his police uniform since he'd left work to come here, practically marched over to Em and Edward. With some difficulty and eventually a little help from Carlisle and Jasper, they pulled the still enraged Emmett away from battered and bleeding Edward. Emmett seemed to calm considerably when Edward was out of his reach. It also helped when his father pulled out his handcuffs and slapped them around his wrists.

"What the hell, dad?"

That was pretty much the same thought in my head. _What the hell was Charlie doing cuffing Emmett?_ Surely he thought Em had done what was right, maybe not.

"You should've let me handle this. What we all just saw was practically GBH! I'm sorry but I have to take you down the station."

"But he...with...Bells...Kasey!!" He stuttered and before yelling the baby's name like it would somehow prevent Charlie from charting him off down to the police station. Emmett shot a glance over at Alice who was now holding Kasey, Esme had given her to Alice so she could go to Edward. Alice was beaming like she normally did regardless of the situation.

"Did you want to meet your granddaughter, Charlie?"

Charlie turned to Alice and when his eyes landed on the week old baby that was his granddaughter they became sad and his mouth set into a hard line. He took hold of Emmett by the cuffs without turning his head away from Kasey and then shook his head saying very simply,

"No."

I watched the smile fall off Alice's face as Charlie hurried Emmett down the corridor. I was slightly shocked as I turned to watch his take Em away instead. I wasn't worried, I knew Charlie wouldn't make him stay too long. At maxi um, he may make he spend the night in a cell just as a warning not to repeat what he'd done again. But it wasn't that Em was being arrested that shocked me, in a way Charlie had to do it, for apperance sake if nothing else, no it was because he wasn't taking Edward with him. Surely Edward deserved a night behind bars more than Em did?

Just as I thought it Charlie stopped at where Edward sat with Esme fussing over him like he was only a toddler and said

"You got an hour to get yourself patched up then I'm coming back for you."

The way he said it wasn't a threat or anything close to one. He voice was too flat and emotionless to be threatening. Edward nodded once and Esme choked back another sob. Well, it looks like I'm going to have to make a trip down the station tonight. _What a wonderful way to spend an evening with your fiance!_

**Edward**.

It was only just over an hour before Charlie arrived to arrest me. I wasn't sure why he wanted too arrest me but I still went willingly. I could venture a guess as to why he would do this but I couldn't see a reason to justify it. If Bella was sixteen then she was actually technically legal in this state at least. He couldn't send me down for sleeping with his daughter because last time I checked that wasn't a felony, how matter how much Charlie may want it to be. He roughly shoved me into the back of his car and I groaned trying not to wince at the pain. Thanks to his son I had the beginnings of a black eye, a fractured nose which was had had to be set straight and held that way by an ugly but sturdy white bandage, and to top it all off I had severe bruising around my ribs which hurt everytime I sucked in a breath. I knew that Emmett had every right in the world to hurt me for what I had 'done' to his sister but it's not like I'd known who she was. For fucks sake she hadn't even told me her name!

I was actually having a hard time getting my head around the fact that the girl from the hotel, my daughter's mother was Emmett's, one of my best mates up until a few hours ago, younger sister. I surprised myself by not cringing when I thought the word daughter. What the hell was happening to me?! _I'm turning into a right bloody pansy!_ At least there was one good thing about being arrested, it would give me time to think about all the shit that I had too without Kasey's crying around me all night long. Charlie took me inside handcuffed, though why he bothered too I wasn't really sure. It's not like I was gonna run. _What would be the point?_

Charlie had some other officer sign me in and take away my phone, keys etc. The other officer who I recognised as Richard Crowley, one of my mum's many friends and also Tyler Crowley's (a guy I knew from school) dad, addressed me like a friend. That's the problem with living in a small town, everyone knows everyone.

"Evening, Edward. How's your mum?" He asked reading my name off the form in front of him.

"She's not too bad, everyone else is good too." I added knowing he would've only asked again if I hadn't. He started scribbling away on the form, smiling at the news that my family were all 'good'.

"That's good to hear. And yourself?"

He looked up a second after he asked it and said

"Second thought, don't answer that."

I started laughing at his reaction but stopped when the movement of my chest made the pain in my newly bruised ribs double. Officer Crowley straightened up and smirking slightly asked

"So would you be the reason Emmett's in here for assault?"

I nodded my head once

"He's here then yeah?"

"Yep" He answered simply walking out from behind the counter before continuing with

"And he's about to be your neighbour."

I mentally swore as I followed Officer Crowley to my hopefully temporary cell. It was going to be a long night...

***

_Well this is awkard! _I found myself thinking after a few hours of tense silence. He could see me, he was openly glaring at me in fact but he said nothing. Not a thing. I could almost feel the seconds ticking through the thick silence. The silence was so tense and uncomfortable that evenutally I forced myself to break it.

"So we're just gonna sit here and not talk."

He eyes didnt move off me and the strength of his glare didn't change.

"Right, that's...that's fine. Erm you don't have anything you wanna say to me then?"

I knew I shouldn't really provoke him but not talking was worse than the abuse that I knew was likely to spill out of him at any minute and he clearly had something to say. He opened his mouth and I waited for it, the tidal wave of insults etc that was coming my way.

"You look a bit like hannibal lecter with that thing over your nose."

I couldn't help it but that remark was so unexpected I actually let out a snort of laughter and with a smile added

"Yeah, I'm looking hot right now, aint I?"

I laughed even though it hurt but Emmett didn't. He went back to the glaring. I sighed, I wasn't sure if saying what I was about to say was a good idea but I said it anyway.

"Look, Em about your sister" the muscles in his jaw clenched tighter and I knew I was pushing my luck but I kept talking. I had to explain, had to apologise while there were bars between us to keep me safe. I was afarid of Emmett. He was a big dude! He went to the gym more times a week than I used to get laid! I mean I'm not weak, not in the least but he's far stronger than me and I wont fight him. I don't pick fights that I know I can't win, besides he's one of the few mates that I have that I'd refer too as a 'best mate'.

"I really didn't know who she was. I've never seen her before, you know that and she don't look that much like you." Actually she did. Now that I thought about it, I could see the similarities between the two of them. They both had the same colour hair, their eyes were similar in shape, they both had high cheek bones and dimples when they smiled. I was actually a little grossed out by the similarities now that I saw them. I'd had sex with a girl who was pretty much a female verison of my best mate. Ok they didn't look _that_ alike but the thought still made me feel a little sick.

Emmett still said nothing. He wasn't even really moving all that much. It was creaping me out big time.

"I didn't realise you were both at the wedding." I didn't remember seeing her there but she must have been right? It was just too bigger coincidence if she hadn't been at their wedding besides she'd been wearing that dress. Thinking about her dress brought on memories that weren't apporiate to think about with Emmett sitting across from me so I quickly banished them from my head. The thing was I remembered that Charlie had been invited to the wedding as had Emmett but I could've sworn they'd both said they couldn't make it.

"We weren't. Well, I was partly but our mum, she booked the other room for her wedding reception. You know, I never really understood why she chose to get married in seattle cause they all lived in Arizona. Would've been easier for everyone but me for them to just get married in Arizona but now I think about it I kinda memba her saying something like she'd always dreamed about getting married there, that fancy hotel that she and dad would never have afforded."

His voice was a little bit resentful as he explained his mother's 'reason' but the glare had fallen away from his face which made it ok that he'd just gone completely off subject. Only problem was that I didn't know how to pull the conversation back without it being obvious that that was what I was doing. We fell back into the same uncomfortable silence but this time Emmett wasn't glaring across at me he was staring down at the floor. I could tell from here that his eyes were sad. It must be a hard thing to accept that his little sister had had sex with one of his best mates and then gone on to have his child in secret. I must not have helped that everything had been revealed so suddenly that it felt like one hard punch in the gut and I knew what that felt like, _thanks to him._ I was also having trouble disgesting it, for fucks sake and I was the one that had shagged her!

The hours passed by slowly that night. I'd spent the night in these cells before and being here wasn't the reason I had trouble sleeping. My head was just too full of shit to be able to shut down and everytime the heavy load of thoughts eased slightly I would end up moving just a little bit to try and and get comfortable, pain would jolt across my side, a painful reminder of where I was and why I was there bring the thoughts back to the front of my mind. It also didn't help that Emmett snores so loudly it was like I was sharing a cell block with a fucking grizzy bear.

Morning came too quickly for my liking and I was soon forced awake by the door that led into the cell block being banged open. It was Officer Crowley again. He didn't acknowledge my being there this time around and I wondered if Charlie had told them why me and Emmett had fought but surely he wouldn't tell people about his daughter and now granddaughter, given how he'd basically rejected her in the hospital corridor, until he absolutely had too,_ right?_. It was only when he didn't continue towards a cell that I noticed he was holding the door open and _of course it would be her, _I thought as a smiling Rose thanked Officer Crowley. She stood by his side as he told both me and Emmett that we'd made bail and were free to leave. I had to admit I was a little anixous about leaving since Emmett was leaving at the same time and I still hadn't recovered from the first lot of hits so I sure as hell wouldn't survive a second round.

I tried not to give him eye contact as Officer Crowley unlocked the cells and let us both out into the corridor. Rose stepped up to both of us

"Right now promise me both of you no repeat performances of yesterday. We don't have time, ok?"

Emmett reluctantly nodded and I nodded too even though I didn't really see a point in it. He was the one who had hit me not the other way around. I kept my distance from Emmett as I followed them both back through the station and towards her car. I slid very gently into the back seat trying not to cringe at how badly my body hurt. Rose quickly had the car started and moving. I noticed as we passed the entrance too our driveway that we clearly weren't headed for home.

"Er, Rose you missed the turning." I pointed out hoping she'd go on to tell me where exactly she was headed. I would be very surprised if she had in fact just driven past the turning by accident.

"We're not going home yet."

I was about to ask her where we were going when she carried on talking, her words causing Emmett, who had sat quietly in the front seat, to sit up straight and pay attention.

"Bella's awake and she's wants to talk to both of you."

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Thanks for reading :D

Abbie :D


	14. The 'V' Word

A/N: Sorry again! :( I have been pretty ill this week though so please don't be too mad at me :( I will do my best to update faster with the next chapter : ) Oh and a quick thanks to Ashleighbabe who is the sole reason that this chapter has been finished today! So you can thank her for that :D

Anyway, heres chapter fourteen...

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Fourteen.

**Bella**.

I couldn't remember where the confidence to face my family and Edward had come from but I needed to speak to them. They all knew even though I'd done my best to keep it hidden besides I couldn't hide under a quilt for the rest of my life. If it hadn't been for Rose interfering then they might still be in the dark and I wouldn't have to do this. As much as I wanted to blame her and on some level smack her in the face, I knew I couldn't do either of those things. If she hadn't found out then me getting sick and the test results would have brought everything to the surface anyway. I pulled myself up in my bed started thinking about their reactions, dad and Emmett, I mean. I only wanted to talk to Edward so I could apologize for dumping all this crap on him and so that we could maybe discuss me being allowed to have Kasey back. I knew that by effectively abandoning her that they could take me court and make it so I wouldn't ever be allowed to see her. I was terrified about what might happen if they chose that route. I just had to talk to him, no matter how uncomfortable it would be to do so. I needed to convince him and his family that I could take care of her and that I wouldn't leave her ever again.

That was defiantly the only good thing about everyone knowing pretty much everything, I could have my daughter back. Well, maybe. I straighten my back and tried to prepare myself. This wasn't going to be pleasant. I didn't even know who Rose would send in first. Probably Emmett since he was her fiance and I'd told her to choose. I hadn't wanted to know who was coming through my door first but now I regretted deciding on that. I was so frightened and nervous that I just wanted to run. I wouldn't get far if I tried though Rose had people on the door. I wasn't sure who it was out there but surely they would have to leave soon, for like work and stuff. I think Rose was overreacting if I'm honest. I made this decision to see them all and I would follow it through besides it had taken a lot of courage to ask Dr. Cullen if I could have visitors and to ask Rose to ask them if they wouldn't mind talking to me, courage that seemed to have deserted me.

I was chewing on my lip with nerves by the time the door opened. It was Emmett like I'd thought it would be. I gulped when I noticed the look on his face. It was such a not Emmett look that it made me panic and think, _oh god whose dead?_ before I realised he looked that way, so sad and empty, because of me. I was so distraught by the realisation that I couldn't force myself to talk. He sat himself down in the armchair beside me, took a deep breath and cleared his throat.

"Only really got one thing I can say...erm...basically" I held my breath waiting

"What the hell, Bells?"

A tiny nervous giggle left me before I could stop it. His body tensed at the sound and his eyes turned cold and angry.

"You think this is funny?"

He spat at me rising out of the chair as quickly as he'd sat in it. I shook my head suddenly regretting asking to speak to him. I should've expected this kind of reaction.

"You're sixteen! For fucks sake!"

I flinched as he started walking up and down by the side of my bed, pacing out of sheer aggravation.

"I know my own age, Emmett."

I muttered looking down at the bed covers rather than facing his stare. He sighed and paused mid pace.

"I just don't understand! How could you do this? How could ruin your life? You're the smart one, Bells. You were supposed to go to college and actually do something with your life!"

"I can still do all that, Em. I'm not dropping out of school and I will still go to college!"

I told him with confidence about my future, confidence that I didn't really have. I had no idea how my life would pan out now that I might be able to get my daughter back. I may end up having to drop out of school to take care of her but I didn't want too. I always did well in my classes and I didn't want to throw my grades away for nothing. Well, it wasn't nothing was it? I'm a mum and that wasn't nothing. I sat quietly thinking until Emmett spoke up again.

"Look Bells. I'm not angry at you-"

"You've got a strange way of showing it."

I muttered just loud enough for him to hear me. He glared and took another deeper breath, he was really trying and I wasn't helping at all. I suddenly felt so guilty about how I was acting that I kept my mouth shut and let him continue.

"I'm not angry at you, even if it looks like I am."

He ran his left hand through his thick curly hair before sighing, again and sitting back down heavily into the armchair.

"I am angry but at everyone but you. You were just young, naive, you didn't know what you were getting yourself into." He said speaking more to convince himself than me but I couldn't stop myself getting annoyed and replying before I'd thought it through.

"I'm not naive, Em! God, you make it sound like I was a vir-"

I choked back the word when I realised what I'd done._ Yeah great move, Bella! Just go and tell your older brother, who already pissed at you, that you've had more than one sexual partner!_

I froze and bit my lip. Emmett's eyes were huge and staring shocked at me.

"What did you just say?"

"Nothing"

I answered too quickly and he shook his head once, the dark curls he shared with our dad dancing at the movement.

"It doesn't matter. I know your not a -"

He cleared his throat and I fought against the giggle that was trying to escape up my throat. It was amusing seeing my brother stutter over the word virgin but laughing at him had proved a bad idea a moment ago.

"Kasey is all the proof I need about that."

At her mention it was like every sense in my body went into overdrive. Emmett noticed the change and picked up on it.

"You know her name?"

I nodded slowly feeling bizarrely like I could cry. I actually felt a little guilty and I wasn't sure why. I was allowed to know her name. She's my daughter and I have every right to know her.

We both sat quietly for a few minutes. The only sounds that reached my ears was, my brothers stressed out heavy breathing and the beep of my IV. It would need to be changed over soon but I wasn't going to let Emmett leave with our talk unfinished.

"Em?"

Our almost identical eyes met and I asked, anxious to hear the answer.

"Can you ever forgive me?"

My voice was so small with fear that I was surprised he even heard me. I'd only felt like crying earlier but now it was like a dam had burst behind my eyes and I just couldn't control it. Embarrassed by the loss of control over my emotions I hid my face in my hands.

I only knew Emmett had moved when the side of the bed dipped under the force of his weight and because of it I fell into his side. His arm went around me and I burrowed into his chest. Thrown by my fit of tears he never answered my question which made me cry harder. What if he never did forgive me? I knew what I'd done was wrong. I regretted it and I wished I could take it back. If I was honest with myself I didn't want to be a mum right now. The idea that the tiny baby I'd held in my arms not too long ago was my responsibility, terrified me. Em did his best to comfort me and after a while my tears subsided.

"Bells?"

He asked and I peaked up at him from under his arm.

"Yeah?"

I replied my voice still a little thick from the tears. He pulled his sleeve down and wiped my damp cheek before asking the question, he'd clearly wanted to ask all along.

"Why didn't you just tell us? Do you think we're such bad people that we'd disown you for having sex?"

"You can't say virgin but you can say sex?"

I asked laughing before buring my head back into his chest to muffle the sound of my childish little giggles. I felt his chest vibrating with his own laughter before I actually heard it. The sound made me smile, properly for the first time in what seemed like ages. It made me feel happier just by simply smiling.

"Seriously Bella. We could've helped you."

I shook my head refusing to look at him. He wouldn't have helped me. If I'd randomly turned up at Charlie's house holding a newborn, they wouldn't have helped me. I'm not sure what he would've done but I know damn well he would've screamed himself hoarse before even letting me inside. Emmett felt me shaking my head and dug his fingertips once gently into my ribs to get my attention. I tried not to wince at the pain that the tiny amount of pressure had caused, every part of my body was just so tender lately. He sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time and said

"Look, believe what you want sis but I swear I would've tried to be understanding and I would've tried my best to help you."

I pulled my head away from his chest and said,

"I'm sure you would've tried but would the trying have started before or after the interrogation? Because that's all anyone's done so far is tried to get information out of me, your fiance being the worst for it."

I told him knowing I would probably regret the little dig about Rose. She was not my favourite person at the moment though and when I was better I secretly vowed to give her a good slap, first chance I got. Personally I didn't think that I could ever really forgive her for treating me the way she had. Rosalie was a bitch, plain and simple.

"What did Rose do?"

I frowned confused that he didn't know about her little visit to my room. I opened my mouth to tell him everything but something stopped me. What good would it do to cause them to argue, anyway?.

"Nothin-" I started to say but he raised his eyebrows at me like he knew I was going to lie. Which was still my intention,

"Honestly, nothing. It doesn't matter."

The look on his face was unusally stern for him but I recognised this look it was the 'don't lie to me, Bella' look that he'd also inherited from dad. Luckily I was saved by the beep. The now empty IV started beeping to get our attention causing Em to look away from me and over towards where the stand stood by the side of my bed. He rose up off the bed causing me to nearly topple over to the side. I wasn't as thin as I had been a few months ago, _well duh_, but my brother was still almost double my weight through muscle alone. I steadied myself just as he disappeared out the door.

"Em?!"

I called out to him, I didn't want him to leave yet. I felt like crying all over again. My hormones were seriously fucked up. I couldn't move my eyes away from the door that was still left open a crack. I couldn't see Emmett out there but I could see Rose's step mum, whose name I'd forgotten. It wasn't her that snatched my attention it was the baby, my baby that she held that had. I couldn't force myself to look away. She was so close and I wanted so badly just to rip the drip from my hand, jump out of my bed and take her back. My leg twitched ready to bolt and my hand started reaching over to the other preparing to free myself of that horrid IV. My hand closed around the needle and I was about to tug hard on it when Emmett returned bringing an exhausted looking Dr. Cullen inside with him. He closed the door behind them cutting off my view of Kasey and the women that was apparently her grandmother. I was aware that Dr. Cullen was talking away too me but I couldn't tear my eyes away from staring at the now closed door. I knew I was being rude to him but I just didn't care. My heart was screaming at me to go to her whereas my brain was yelling at me not too.

"Bells, are you ok?"

My brothers voice was worried as he asked that and even though I registered that, I didn't move to meet his eyes that I knew were staring straight at me since I could feel both of them staring at me, not just Em. I shook my head and used every drop of strength in me to pull my eyes away from the door. It's not like I could see through the wood anyway. The only way I would get to see my daughter was to ask...

**Esme**.

I was a little apprehensive as I crossed the threshold of her room. I had wanted to speak to Bella about all this but she'd only asked to see her brother, father and Edward. When Carlisle had stepped outside and asked if she could see Kasey I wasn't that surprised, I'd seen her staring through the open door after Emmett had slipped out to find Carlisle. She hadn't known that I had seen her, because she had eyes only for Kasey. Her eyes were bright and eager when she saw me. Her smile was huge the second her eyes found her daughter. I closed the door behind me to block out the noise of the busy corridor. It wasn't even that loud and it was causing Kasey to fuss. I hated to admit it but part of me was scared to leave Bella alone with Kasey. It was irrational to think she would do anything but I was still a little worried.

I sucked in a quick breath and made myself go over to her. It felt silly to instruct her on what to do since she was her mother but I still did.

"Form a cradle with your arms."

She nodded and quickly did what I told her. I lent down slowing and gently handed Kasey back to her mother.

"Now keep her head supported."

Bella nodded again and adjusted herself to the new weight in her arms. I felt tears stinging in my eyes because it hurt to let her go. Even though I knew I would be coming back to get her in a few hours when Bella went to sleep, I couldn't stop a few tears escaping at the sight of my granddaughter being taken away from me. It didn't matter that it was better this way, the selfish side of me didn't want to let her go. We would still have to take care of her while Bella was here because she wasn't up to full time motherhood just yet. I wiped away the traitorous tears that had dripped down my cheeks and turned to leave.

"Wait, please."

She said voice timid as she reached out to grab my sleeve. I turned back to her and hoped she didn't notice that I'd been, and partly still was, crying since I was quite embarrassed that I'd let myself fall apart over something tiny. Both me and my son would still see Kasey, she just wouldn't live with us.

"Thank you"

I nodded smiling down at her. She'd managed to manoeuvre her arm out from under Kasey without distrubing her, maybe she wasn't as new to this as I'd first thought.

"You are more than welcome sweetheart. I just wish we could've met under better circumstances."

She sniffed back tears of her own and I bent down to hug her before I could think twice about it. She tensed up at first before relaxing slightly. She clearly wasn't expecting me to be so nice to her after what had happened with Kasey. She whispered hurried apologies to me but I quickly sshed her and told her not to.

"Don't apologise, ok? You panicked but you didn't do anything wrong. You brought her to people that would look after her which is the best thing you could've done for her."

Reassuring her had helped to bring my bout of crying to a close but it had caused Bella to start. I pulled myself away from her when she did and said

"Come on now, sweetheart. Dry your eyes or you'll set the rest of us off."

She choked on a laugh and I slipped Kasey's diaper bag off of my shoulder, placing it on the bed beside her. I dug through it till I found a clean tissue. I held it out to her and quickly took it, muttering another 'thank you'.

"Everything you might need is inside that bag." I patted it once with my hand and she nodded, showing me she'd seen. I hesitated for a few seconds

"Ok then, I'll leave you too alone for a bit. If you need me just yell, I wont be far away."

We shared a smile and I left her too it. She would be fine. Both of them would be. I closed the door behind me again to give them the privacy they deserved.

I lent against the door shut my eyes and took in a deep, much needed, breath of fresh air. I'd been in that room only minutes but it had felt like more and I needed a moment.

"Where's Kasey?"

A moment I wasn't going to be granted it seemed. Edward was back from getting his bandages changed by the looks of it. I forced my eyes to open and pushed myself up away from the door. I smiled a little sadly at my son and answered his question.

"With her mum." _where she's supposed to be. _

* * *

A/N: No cliff hanger this time! Woop woop!!

Ok, I can't seem to come up with a name for this chapter! It's driving me a little nuts actually so any suggestions on chapter titles would be awesome :D

Thanks for reading & Please review :D

Abbie :D

P.S - Sorry if there are mistakes in that end bit but its very late where I am, and I'm tired :( If you do spot anything wrong, in any chapter please let me know so I can sort it out :) Thanks :)


	15. Homeless

A/N: Woo! Super fast update this time! :D Go me! :D

Thanks to all you guys that reviewed, favourited, alerted this story :D Means alot to me so Thank You!! :D

* * *

Fifteen

**Bella**.

I spent so long just staring down at her smiling while she slept peacefully in my arms that I didn't know what time it was or how long exactly I'd been sat here for when there was a gentle knock the door. Fearing that she was back already for Kasey my grip tightened instinctively around her. I didn't want to let her go yet and I shouldn't have too. I let out the breath I was holding when the door opened and my doctor stood in the doorway. I smiled at him for what had to be the first time since I'd been admitted. He didn't smiled back at first and briskly walked into the room.

"How are you feeling?"

He asked me

"Not too bad actually."

I told him still forcing myself to keep smiling warmly at him. I hadn't liked him all that much in the past but that was only because I'd been scared by him and how much he'd known but I was now for once not afraid of him being here, there was nothing to find out anymore.

"That's good to hear."

He replied picking up my chart from the end of my bed. He scanned it once quickly before placing it back down again. Kasey started to stir at the sound of the two of us talking and by doing so took my attention away from Dr. Cullen and back to her. She didn't hold my attention for too long however because Dr. Cullen cleared his throat to drag my focus back onto to him.

"Bella, your father would like a word with you, do you feel up to that?"

I took a moment to panic about how horrible that conversation would be before, somewhat reluctantly, gulping back my fear and nodding to him. Dr. Cullen still didn't smile at me like he had so many times before as he slipped out of the door into the hallway to, I assumed, fetch Charlie. I hadn't seen dad in what had to be months, if not years and this was not how I'd plan to see him again, not even close. My chest was tight with fear as different scenes of how this conversation could go played through my mind. I was so preoccupied with panicking that I didn't notice that he was in the room with me until I heard the door click shut. My eyes snapped up to his and with that one quick glance into his eyes I knew this was going to be worse than anything I'd just imagined.

He broke eye contact with me, another bad sign and said.

"I just got back from your grandma's."

His voice was flat and my chest constricted further at the sound of it. This was bad, colossally bad. I felt Kasey starting to fuss but I couldn't tear my attention away from my dad. I wanted to tell him to continue but I couldn't force speech past the lump that had formed in my throat. He took what seemed like an eternity before saying the one thing I had feared from grandma, one of the things that had lead to me taking Kasey to Forks in the first place.

"She's very upset with you and she was too ashamed of you to come and tell you this herself so-" He took a deep breath and moved away from the end of the bed over to my side, but he still didn't let himself look at me. He didn't say a word as he lifted the suitcase that I'd taken my stuff to grandma's in, up onto the armchair.

I had known all along that this would happen when she found out. Grandma wouldn't want me in her house with Kasey.

"She did say that if you leave the baby with the Cullen's she will let you come back." I could only imagine how horrified I looked at the mere idea of what he was suggesting because Charlie sighed and quickly added.

"I told her that I didn't see that happening which is the reason all of your things are here."

I needed to ask about where I supposed to go now but I was too scared to hear the answer. Charlie didn't have the space in that tiny house for all of us, even if Emmett moved out which he was going too after the wedding, there stll wouldn't be much free space. I doubted whether he would want me to live with him anyway. He still couldn't look me in the eye which made me think that maybe he wouldn't offer in the first place.

"You've still got about a week in this place so while your here I'll try to find somewhere for you to go when you leave. You can't go back to your mothers, she was crystal clear on that subject, but if I can't find somewhere for you both to stay then we'll have to work something out for you here. We can get you transferred into Forks High School if necessary."

I didn't know how I was supposed to react to what he was saying. Basically, I could live with him only if he couldn't find somewhere else for me to go. Well that was kind of him, wasn't it? Though where exactly he expected me to move too I wasn't sure. What did he have in mind some home for underage unmarried girls with babies? If there were such places still in existence. We weren't a big family, in fact we were pretty small. Charlie didn't have any brothers or sisters so that ruled out going to stay with aunts or uncles.

I nodded and fought hard not to cry. I knew things had gone too smoothly with Emmett and Grandma disowning me was clearly the price I had to pay for that. I was just too unlucky a person to have everything go well or maybe it wasn't me. Maybe it was just that Grandma was simply just too old fashioned and her love for me was overridden by her beliefs whereas Emmett would clearly love me know matter what I did.

As if she could somehow sense the change in how I felt, Kasey started making little whimpering noises. I pulled her closer to me, wiping my eyes with my fisted hand and snapped at him,

"Is that all?"

He just sighed before saying

"I'm doing my best Bella but this isn't easy for me. You're my daughter and I will always love you but this-" He gestured over towards me and the increasingly upset Kasey "It's just too much for me right now. I need to get my head around the fact that the daughter I've barely known is a mother and that's difficult-" He met my eyes for the first time since he'd walked in and added "so please don't hold this against me." and with that he left.

I wasn't allowed long to sob because just after I started so did Kasey. Her crying was louder than anything than I could ever have created. I moved to hold her up against me rather than in my arms but I wasn't sure what I was supposed to do for her. Was she crying simply because I was or was there an actual reason behind it? Like was she hungry? Did she need be changed? That kind of thing. I struggled to reach the bag that had slipped just beyond my reach. My tears renewed but this time I cried through sheer frustration and annoyance. I couldn't reach that bag without bending a lot more than I currently was, which would hurt like hell.

Pain shot through me when as forced myself to I stretched out further but when I should've touched the bag strap, I felt someone's hand. My hand shot backwards and my eyes flew open in shock. _I thought Charlie had left? _but it wasn't Charlie and my breath caught when I recognised exactly who it was. I felt the heat of blood pooling behind my cheeks, I was blushing at the memories of him that surfaced in my mind_. Oh god, what most I look like to him now? _my blush intensified when I reaslised just had bad I most look to him right now. I wasn't sure why I cared but it mattered for some reason that I didn't look all that great at the moment. I'd been stuck in this bed since yesterday afternoon and I hadn't brushed my crazy hair out this morning, meaning I must look dreadful. Which was a cause for embarrassment given how I'd actually looked quite pretty the first time we'd met.

"You need a hand?"

It was when he asked that that I stopped worring about my own appearence and actually took a good look at him for the first time and if was honest he wasn't looking so hot right now either but I had my brother to thank for that.

"Emmett"

I sighed sadly when I saw the bruises and the bandage across his nose. Trust my brother to act like Neanderthal man and beat the living hell out of him so for daring to touch me. Edward hadn't done anything wrong, not really and he really hadn't deserved the beating that it looked like he'd received because of me.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry!"

I tried to apologise but he waved it off, laughing lightly at my reaction and started rummaging through Kasey's diaper bag. He quickly found what he had been searching for and pulled out a half full bottle of formula.

"You're gonna finish this one first, miss."

He said turning to look directly at Kasey while he said it. She had practically stopped crying when she'd heard him speak. It felt like a stab to my heart that she'd calmed down for him but not me. It was my fault though, my fault she'd bonded with him more than me, I knew that but that didn't make it hurt any less. He shook the bottle vigrously and popped off the cap before offering it out for me to take. I hesitated and after a few seconds he said

"I can feed her if you want? I don't mind."

I shook my head and forced myself to smile

"Nah, it's ok. I wanna try."

He grinned back at me, the same crooked grin he'd seemed to wear almost the whole time we'd talked in the hotel lobby, all those months ago. He handed me the bottle to me and backed away slightly from the side of my bed. Once it was in my hand I suddenly didn't know what to do. I knew I had to put in her mouth, I wasn't quite that stupid but did I have to sit her up or did she drink lying down? I looked up at him, clueless and feeling like a total moron for not knowing what to do, I asked

"Erm could you help me?"

**Edward**.

It was really strange being asked to help when I was technically an amateur when it came to this parenting shit. But I didn't refuse to help her, it was actually kind cool not being the one who was clueless for a change.

"Er sure"

I'd found feeding her to be one of the easiest things to do and it was the one thing I'd picked up pretty quick. It didn't take much skill to prop up a baby, fed it and burp it afterwards. Maybe she was just really nervous or something and didn't want to do anything wrong. I couldn't blame her for being scared, hell I'd been terrified trying to learn some of the crap mum had had to teach me over the last couple of days. In fact I still was, partly.

"Just hold her head up a little bit and she should be fine."

I told her slipping my hand under Kasey's head to support it. Bella copied me making her hand overlap mine. As soon as Kasey had started sucking greedily at her leftover bottle I pulled mine gently away from hers.

"There you go. It's not so difficult really."

I said shooting her a smile before backing off again and letting her bond with Kasey.

I was kind of glad that she wanted her back because if Bella was taking care of her then maybe I could get at least some degree of normalcy back to my life. I wasn't built to be a dad so this was a good thing even if I part of me didn't want to have to let her. I'd had this discussion with myself only yesterday and I'd told myself not to worry about it but seeing my daughter back with her mother made me releaved and happy but it also bizarrely made me angry. She had given up her rights to Kasey when she'd dumped that little headache on me surely she couldn't take her back, just like that? It wasn't fair! I forced myself to glare down at the floor rather than actually her.

It was through my narrowed eyes that I noticed something that I hadn't when I'd walked in and I moved my now curious stare over to the armchair just behind me. A large navy suitcase was lodged in between the two arms of the chair. I frowned, surely a whole suitcase was a bit excessive for a hospital stay?

"What's with the suitcase?"

I asked when curiousity got the better of me. Her eyes shot up to meet mine and I noticed just how red rimmed her eyes actually were. God, how many times had she cried today to make them look like that? To be fair, her crying was part of the reason I was here. I'd heard her and Kasey crying from the corridor but I hadn't realised she'd been crying _that _badly.

She turned away from looking at me and instead her eyes landed on the suitcase. Through all that movement she'd managed to keep the bottle held steady in her hand and hadn't distrubed Kasey one bit. Her brown eyes, that I'd seen practically sparkle with emotion when I'd first met her, now turned cold through sadness as she said.

"That's just icing on the cake."

She told me and only elaborated when she noticed me frowning at her.

"My gran kicked me out and dad doesn't want me at his."

She explained before adding sarcastically.

"I'm homeless, isn't it just fantastic?"

I felt myself freeze momentarily in shock. _How could her grandmother kick her out after everything that had happened? Didn't the woman have a heart?_ I wasn't really sure why I cared so much, this didn't effect me not one bit but this would effect Kasey, I reaslised. Suddenly just like something had clicked in my head I saw the solution. Both me and mum didn't want to have to let go of Kasey and Bella had nowhere she could go so didn't it make sense that she just stayed in our spare room until she could find somewhere else more perminant? and if Bella moved in with us then I could still see my daughter but I could also get my life back to how it had been only last week.

"It's not funny!"

I reaslised when she snapped at me that I had been standing grinning like a fool but not saying anything, no wonder I'd pissed her off.

"No its not. I wasn't smiling cause of what you said. I was thinking-"

"Oh dangerous that."

She muttered to which I responsed with a glare before sighing and forcing myself to calm down so I could ask

"I was thinking, you could come and stay with us?"

* * *

A/N: Ok, I hate that ending and I'm try and edit it at some point cos im not happy with it :( also I'm a little bit worried that Edward's gone a bit OOC! :( and that now your all gonna be angry at me for Bella's nan making her homeless! My bad but there is a reason in case you didn't get that from Edward asking her to move in at the end! lol

Anyway, I'll try and update again in the next few days!

Hope you liked it :D Please review :D

Thanks for reading :D

Abbie :D


	16. Decisions

Sixteen

**Edward**.

"You want me to what?"

she finally managed to say after many stuttered attempts at speech. Her brown eyes were huge and her eyebrows had slowly disappeared into her insanely messy hair. Kasey's bottle was slipping out of her grip, that had relaxed when she'd lost focus on what she'd been doing.

"Don't read too much into it."

I told her quickly realising how it could've sounded, couldn't have her thinking I actually gave a damn about her. The only person in this room I cared about was propped up on her lap.

"But I just thought that it would make everything easier if you moved in with us. I mean we've only just started on her nursery."

I didn't really know how else I could explain this to her without sounding like a complete dick head

"You're serious?"

She asked still looking beyond shocked. I nodded and moved over to her to stop her dropping the bottle onto the floor.

She shook her head when I reached her and I frowned

"What?"

I asked taking the bottle from her hand.

"I can't move in with you. I've put your family through enough crap! I don't deserve to be forgiven let alone be helped by you." She stared down, her sad eyes never moving from Kasey. I found myself laughing before I could hold it back. I felt her glare burning holes in my smile before I saw it but it didn't make my laughing smile fade as I hurriedly admitted,

"I told you not to read too much into this, if it helps I'm not offering entirely for your benefit."

I wasn't sure what kind of reaction I'd been expecting to receive but it sure as hell wasn't the kind of reaction I got. She was angry and not the normal kind of anger that I was used too with Rose either, no this was erupting volcano type anger.

"Who the hell do you think you are?!"

The second I looked up, shocked, I noticed just how enraged my words had made her. I didn't understand at first until she kept ranting. Not even the tiny cries Kasey made could subdue Bella how.

"Just because I slept with you once does not mean you own me! I am not some slag that you can just use! Is that why your offering, that why your being so nice to me, cause you think I'm easy?!"

Before I answered her I pulled Kasey up off her lap, my bruised ribs protesting at the sudden movement, and my hand was covering her ear so it muffled the sound of her mum yelling at me. Well, Kasey you best get used to this apparently we can't go five minutes without yelling at one another!

"You've got it all wrong! I'm not being 'nice' to you for that kind of _benefit_. I've got friends with _benefits _and trust me I don't think of you as one of them."

If I was honest I couldn't really see why she'd jumped to that kind of conclusion in the first place. I replayed what I'd said to her in my head and frowned, in no way had I suggested what she'd thought I had to her!

"You better bloody not."

I heard her muttering. She noticed that I'd taken Kasey from her and the fire in her eyes died. I was reluctant to give her back just incase she decided to start screeching at me again. She was staring down at her blanket as she spoke now, her voice just above a whisper.

"It doesn't matter anyway, Charlie'll find somewhere for me" She paused and corrected herself "for us to stay. Don't worry about me or her. Neither of us are your problem anymore."

If she hadn't looked so sad and dejected what I said next probably would've come out far more harsh sounding than it did.

"What if I want her to be my problem?"

I could tell she wasn't expecting that answer when she turned to stare at me because her expression had returned to how it had been earlier, eyes huge and raised eyebrows. I hastily began to explain what I'd said earlier.

"When I said before that I wasn't offering for just your benefit, what I meant was, I don't want to lose her."

The last few words were so quiet I was actually surprised she caught them.

"If I could go back to the way my life was last week then I would but I can't. I've got three more weeks then I go to college and it's unlikely I'll be able to see her that often when I leave so you can't take her away from me now. I wont let you!"

I hadn't truly realised just how strongly I felt about this until she'd said what she had. An image of her holding Kasey had appeared in my mind when she'd said it, she was holding her tight to her chest as she slid into the backseat of a taxi, heading to god only knows how far away. Seeing it like that had made my chest ache in a way I'd never experienced before.

She was shaking her head again by the time I'd recovered from whatever crazy emotion that had temporally taken over me. The little shake of her head made my temper flare again but I resisted acting on it this time. Our shouting had scared the crap outta Kasey enough for one day. I sighed annoyed and tried to lighten the mood.

"Look, you might as well stay at ours at least until you can find somewhere to go. You'll be out of here in what five days, if that and I very much doubt Chief Swan will find anywhere that quickly."

She sighed but shook her head for the third time.

"I promise I won't take her away from you but I can't live with your family. You've all been far too kind to me as it is and it's not like I can even pay you rent."

I frowned

"Did I say anything about rent?"

"Well, no but don't you see? That's even more of a reason for me to say no. I'm sorry but I just can't."

She shifted on the bed to face me, her expression almost triumphant as she said.

"Besides it wouldn't be your decision to invite me anyway, now would it?"

I shattered the expression on her face almost as quickly as it had appeared by simply saying.

"Fair enough but them I'll just have to talk to mum. I'm pretty sure she'll understand where I'm coming from and she sure as hell wont let you leave here with nowhere to go."

She opened her mouth to, I assume, argue her point further but I was saved another round of arguments when we both heard someone knocking on the door. I probably could've guessed it would be Carlisle since he'd more than likely seen her vitals going haywire when we'd been arguing earlier.

"Just came to check on you, make sure you're alright."

I didn't miss the look he threw in my direction when he said the last bit. I probably deserved the look to be fair to him. He'd warned me not to upset her or get her overexcited since she was supposed to be resting and I'd done both, pretty much.

"I'm fine." She mumbled just as I said preparing myself to leave

"I'll leave you too it then."

I went to retrieve Kasey's bag from Bella's bed but she grabbed my arm before I could pick it up. Her finger nails dug into my arm as she spoke the desperation she must have felt leaking into her voice.

"You'll bring her back, won't you?"

I nodded forcing myself to smile at her as I quickly added.

"Of course I will"

Her hand realised my arm slowly and when she had I picked up the bag. Slipping the strap up my arm I headed to the door, when I noticed the look on Carlisle's face. A look that told me he'd more than likely overheard some parts of our conversation. _Brilliant! Just fucking brilliant!_ Now I would have to have that talk with mum sooner than I'd actually planned.

It wasn't until Carlisle got home, a good three hours after me, that I found out just how much he'd overheard. Mum had just put Kasey down and I was sitting in the lounge watching TV when he walked in looking more exhausted and annoyed than I'd ever seen him before. It was a good thing that Rose had gone to help mum in the kitchen because he didn't waste anytime asking.

"Whose does this house belong to Edward?"

I tried to play dumb and faked a confused frown as I looked up at him, replying.

"Er you."

I didn't fool him and he practically ignored the fact that I'd even answered.

"Don't even try to pretend you don't know what I'm talking about because I know damn well that you do!"

I refused to answer him knowing I was probably going to loss my car keys for ignoring him. He'd paid for the car so he had ever right to punish me with it. Well, that's what mum always argued anyway. When I said nothing he sank into the armchair opposite me and ran a hand through his neat blond hair.

"Look I'm not angry at you for offering to help her because no offence intended but that's probably the first partly selfless things I've ever seen you do. But she was right, this isn't your decision. You should never have offered to let Bella move into our house without asking-"

He never got to finish the sentence for one simple reason; Rose.

"You said she could what?!"

She yelled the second she walked into the room. I sighed angrily and quickly responded, the volume of my voice not quite reaching hers.

"I didn't say she could for certain! It's got nothing to do with you anyway!"

Rose sucked in a breath about; preparing to shout twice as loud as she had before. Luckily she didn't get to use that breath for her original purpose.

"What on earth are you both yelling about now?"

I turned my head towards mum who looked confused and just a little bit pissed off.

"Bella's grandmother has said she no longer wants anything to do with her, meaning she and Kasey are will be homeless in less than a week, so Edward thinks its best she moves in here with us."

He summarised for mums benefit alone since Emmett had already filled Rose in about everything. Carlisle never raised his voice though I could hear the slight annoyance he felt escaping into his voice. I'd never seen him quite this grumpy from lack of sleep and that's exactly what it was. He was just tired, if he hadn't been working continuously for almost 30 hours he might have been a little more sympathetic. Mum closed her eyes shaking her head once before taking in a deep breath and going over to Carlisle.

"First, you need to sleep."

She took his hand and forced him to stand before turning to me .

"Second," She sighed the word "No matter how kind of you it was to offer, it wasn't your place to do so."

Carlisle let go of her hand and started to leave the room, obviously to tired to listen to her shout at me. She paused to watch him head for the stairs before looking back at me and to mine and Rose's surprise not yelling but instead simply saying

"We'll talk about this later."

I sat frowning for a second as mum hurried after Carlisle. Rose shocked me by not lashing out and just sinking into the sofa cushions beside me. For a moment it looked like she was about to fall asleep, her eyes slowly closed and her breathing calmed significantly, until she spoke quietly.

"How are you not exhausted?"

As soon as she said it, I felt everything start to catch up with me; barely sleeping in the cell last night, Kasey's constant early wake up calls, her crying that drilled right through me every time she did, and just the never ending sting of mental and emotional crap that seemed to be clogging up my head recently. I was actually surprised I hadn't collapsed ages ago.

"Who said I'm not?"

I asked fighting off the yawn that I could feel was about to happen. Rose didn't open her eyes when she answered me.

"You don't look it. You look like crap but you don't look tired."

"Yeah, thanks for that."

I laughed. Her breathing slowing further she yawned

"You're welcome."

After a few minutes of silence I had to admit I was a little confused

"So you're really not gonna yell at me?"

She shrugged

"Maybe later."

The 'later' mum and Rose had referred too turned out to be the next morning but neither of them actually shouted like I would have thought. The main reason behind that was because of Kasey, everybody tired to not shout around Kasey. Well, everyone expect me and her bloody mum! Luckily for me, Rose was feeding her because she'd finished eating first so I could eat my bacon sandwich without it going cold, turns out being woken up early has it's benefits.

Mum sat down opposite Carlisle, they shared a look before he cleared his throat. _Here we go then!_I thought knowing exactly what that noise meant.

"Edward?"

I didn't look up away from my plate but answered him with a 'yeah?' nonetheless. I knew what was coming and I wasn't really in the mood for it. There was no stopping this conversation though unless Kasey were to start crying but no matter how much I didn't want to have this chat I wasn't quite that evil or desperate.

"You know what this is about right?"

I nodded taking another bite of the sandwich.

"Well, your mother and I think that maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea after all."

I choked on my mouthful of food and Rose who was closest to me, smacked me hard on the back until I eventually managed to swallow my food back.

I was about to question them and their decision when Rose beat me there.

"Why the hell would you say yes to this? It's crazy. There's no way on earth that Charlie and Em are going to let her move in with the guy that knocked up, I'm sorry it just wont happen. The whole things just pointless."

So that was why she wasn't getting quite as pissed off and angry as she normally would've been, she clearly thought that even discussing this was pointless and she seemed pretty sure of herself on the fact that it wouldn't be happening.

"Well, if its such a pointless idea then how come when I spoke to Charlie less than an hour ago, he said it was a brilliant idea and that by offering we'd saved him a lot of trouble. He even offered to give us money for her keep."

Rose's face was priceless and if I'd had my phone on me I would've taken a picture. It was just too funny. She shook her head too shocked to do more than mutter three words,

"But he wouldn't."

I had to admit though I was a little taken aback by how easily Charlie had said yes, _how could her family just all turn their backs on her? _I actually felt pretty sorry for her, all she'd done was have a kid, it wasn't the end of the world, there were plenty of teenagers all across the globe that have children in their teens it's hardly a big deal these days. Though Charlie obviously seemed to think it was.

"But he did."

Mum told Rose and her expression was murderous, she slammed the bottle down onto the table and said through gritted teeth,

"Well, Em wont let this happen!"

"I'm sorry sweetheart but its not up to Emmett, is she does or doesn't."

I couldn't find anything to say so I just listened as Rose thrust the now fussing little girl at me. I took hold of her a lot better than when she'd done the same thing before. She stood up as soon as I was holding her, her chair nearly falling to the fall with the speed of the movement.

"This is ridiculous and you know it Esme!"

with one final glare she turned around and stormed out.

Both mum and Carlisle stayed silent for a minute before I forced myself to break it.

"So did Charlie really say that?"

Mum looked down at her breakfast and nodded.

"You should've heard him, so desperate to get rid of her. I never would've expected this from him. The way he always used to talk about her, he's loves Bella so much. How can he act like this?"

She directed the question to Carlisle.

"Shock possibly" He shrugged "Or maybe he just loved her more when she wasn't his responsibility."

Mum shook her head looking upset by the topic.

"If he truly loved her then he'd this wouldn't be happening and she would be leaving that hospital to go home with to her family."

I didn't know what I was supposed to say to that so I just picked up the bottle that Rose had left on the table and quickly continued to feed Kasey. Carlisle lent across the table to grip mum's hand.

"Just give him time and he'll come around, you'll see."

He told her looking more sure of himself than he actually sounded. Mum nodded to him and when they'd both gone back to eating I found myself asking.

"So she's really moving in?"

Mum nodded to me and Carlisle added

"Not permanently, of course but yes it seemed like a good idea for everyone if she did."

I nodded feeling quite proud of myself. When I'd actually brought up the idea I hadn't really thought they'd go for it, maybe mum because she was too kind to say no but Carlisle had seemed the most annoyed by the idea. Oh well, I didn't give a shit why they'd agreed to it all I cared about was that it was happening because the second she moved in, I would get my life back without having give up my daughter. I smiled, put down the empty bottle and finished eating my sandwich that was now cold. Mum took Kasey from me and burped her for me. I had the feeling as I sat their thinking that everything, all the drama and crap that had happened over the last week or so was coming to an end. Problem was I wasn't quite dumb enough to believe that feeling just yet.

A/N: Not sure if I like that ending for the chapter but I'm just happy I finished it :) It's been too long since I last updated and I've had quite bad writers block :( Oh and I'm sorry Edward's gone a little out of his usual character but he's going to be his old self again soon enough!

Anyway, so this was the first chapter so far written in only one point of view and I just wanna ask what you prefer, multiple pov's or just the one?

Hope you liked it :) and Thanks for reading :)

Abbie :)


	17. Cocktail Full of Hormones

_Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, in case you didn't already know that...I also don't own Disney or any of its songs._

A/N: Oh my god, I actually updated! Trust me I'm as shocked as you guys all are! This chapters been sitting half finished for weeks and finally something clicked in my head a few hours ago and now its done :D :D Sorry I'm just really happy! :D

Thanks for all your reviews, favourites and alerts on the last chapter and well the whole story in general! It means a lot so thank you for supporting me and my story :D So finally, here's Chapter Seventeen...

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**Chapter Seventeen**

'Cocktail Full of Hormones'

_One Week Later_

**Bella **

Nervous didn't fully cover how I felt when I was discharged from the hospital. Emmett, who was as unhappy about what was happening as I was, loaded my bag into his car and I sighed with impatience. I couldn't wait to see my daughter again. I'd seen her everyday since the first time when Edward's mother, Esme had let me hold her. It was always either Esme or Edward that brought her up to see me. That was how I'd gotten to know and remember her name because Esme brought her up more times than her son. In fact I'd seen him only twice after our little chat/argument. I knew I had sort of over reacted and I had apologized for it the next time I'd seen him but as Doctor Cullen and a few nurses had told me that my body was at the moment a cocktail full of hormones and it was to be expected that I would be overemotional.

I climbed into the passenger seat of the jeep and dragged the seat belt gently across my chest. Even when I moved it gently, the contact it had with my chest made me flinch. My breasts were always so tender now. I'd been in pain with them before but it was worse now. Two days after I'd seen Kasey, I was transferred to the maternity ward where they could take better care of me and Kasey, even if she went home with Esme at the end of the day. The nurses on the ward had talked me into trying to breastfeed. It hurt the first couple of times but once she and I had gotten the hang of it and I'd gotten over used to the uncomfortable feeling I didn't notice it anymore. The problem now was that I was leaking milk through my T-shirts worse than ever and my boobs always felt heavy and painful.

I was actually really grateful that Esme had been there when the nurse had first suggested that I give the whole breastfeeding thing a try. I'd felt a little less scared of trying with her in the room, as strange as that sounds. I don't mean that it wasn't weird getting my tits out in front of two strangers but even though I barely knew her I felt comfortable around Esme. She was such a kind and loving woman, she reminded me of how my mum used to be before she met the dick head. Everything was ok, Kasey took to breastfeeding pretty quick considering she'd been bottle fed since birth. Well everything had been going ok that day until the nurse had left, satisfied that I had the hang of it, and Esme asked me the one question I'd been dreading...

_..."I hope you don't mind me asking but what happened?"_

_I tensed up before she'd even finished asking what I knew was coming. _

_"When you had her Bella, what happened?"_

_I wasn't going to answer, I was just going to tell her that I didn't want to talk about it until she quickly said, after noticing how tense and upset her question had made me, _

_"Oh I'm sorry, sweetheart. I shouldn't have asked. Just ignore my curiousity, you don't have to tell me anything."_

_It was when she said that that I decided that I should tell her. She was the only person who'd given me the choice, the only person who hadn't demanded an explanation, and who better to tell than the person who had cared for my daughter when I hadn't been there to do it myself. I took in a deep breath and released it slowly. _

_"Thank you but I need to tell someone, don't I?" _

_I focused my ashamed eyes downwards and started from the beginning._

_***_

_"I think on some level I did know that I was pregnant but I just couldn't admit it to myself until she was actually coming. I'm so sorry about what I did, I just-" I paused trying to think of the right word when she finished the sentence for me._

_"Panicked." _

_I nodded and she got up from the armchair beside me. She was hugging me before I'd even registered that she was close enough too do so. Her kind gesture was enough to set me off sobbing into her chest. She reminded me so much of my mother, the mother I missed with all my heart, the mother that I needed now more than ever..._

...Emmett started the jeep and the rev of the engine startled me enough to yank me out of my memories. I felt panic building up in my chest as we pulled into the all too familiar driveway a few minutes later. My heart beat painfully hard against my ribcage as the memories surfaced in my head, I had to fight hard against the urge to flee, I really didn't want to live with these people. Esme was lovely but Rose hated me (an entirely mutual feeling) and I knew that she would be particularly difficult to live with. Plus I didn't know much about any of the rest of their family.

Esme had told me some stuff about them so I knew the basics; Jasper, _Carlisle's son/Esme stepson_, and Alice, _childhood friend of Edward/her mother is good friends with Esme_, had gotten married in December of last year. I could've told her that since it wasn't just the date of their wedding but always the date of when Kasey was 'conceived'. She'd told me all about Rose and my brother falling in love at first sight and all that kinda crap. I loved my brother a lot but I honestly didn't believe in that kind of bullshit. How could you know that you love someone with just one glance in their direction? Love wasn't something that just happened, at least not to me. It was something that took time to develop, the only thing that happened in one glance was lust and lust it turned out could ruin your life way too easily.

As soon as the jeep came to a stop I went into a full panic. The strained smile on Emmett's face made me feel even worse, his smile normally made me smile but this one was not his normal smile. It wasn't care free and there was little happiness behind it. I appreciated the effort he was putting into it though. At least he was trying I wasn't even attempting to hide my feelings about where I was. The memories of crying in Ben's car as he placed her on that doorstep made it hard to breathe. Emmett jumped down out of the car and got my bag out of the back. With numb, nervous fingers I opened the door and slid down from the seat.

We didn't speak as we walked up the steps to the house. Emmett knocked the door and sound nearly made me jump I was just so nervous. I couldn't quite believe that this was actually happening. I didn't want to do this. Didn't want to live with people I didn't really know but as long as it meant I could keep my daughter then I wouldn't complain and would as I was told. Doctor Cullen appeared at the door barely a minute after he'd knocked. It was weird seeing him out of the hospital but I supposed I'd just have to get used too it. He greeted us and lead us into the lounge. Once he'd taken his seat on the sofa I learnt the true meaning of awkward. Edward was standing across the room from us and Emmett was glaring fiercely at him since his face was healing Em was probably thinking about renewing the injuries.

"So would either of you like a drink?"

Thankfully Esme broke the silence and after he agreed to a drink, she lead him away from causing more harm.

I couldn't help but sigh in relief when he disappeared into the kitchen. Rose stood to follow just as her father spoke the question I'd been most expecting.

"So how are you feeling now Bella?"

When I'd been moved onto the maternity ward I'd been assigned a new doctor and so he was bound to ask about how I was.

"I'm feeling a lot better, thank you."

He smiled and nodded.

"That's good to hear, Bella. If you feel even the slightest bit unwell please let me know."

_I feel like I'm gonna throw up on your gorgeous rug, does that count as unwell?_I thought but simply nodded back him trying to pull off a smile and failing. The horrid awkwardness only ended when Alice, who I remembered from the ill-fated shopping trip, jumped up off the sofa and grabbed my hand. The silence clearly as painfully for her as for myself.

"I'll show you your room!"

She lead me from the room and up a huge white staircase, talking all the way.

"It's Jazz's old room but don't worry" She turned to me on the landing,

"She took down all the posters." the wink that followed told me what kind of posters she meant. A little giggle found its way up my throat and Alice quickly joined me in laughing. My laughter stopped dead when I caught sight of the sign on the door in front of me. The door was left open a crack and I couldn't stop myself. My feet moved before my head had even really registered what I was doing. Alice let me go not saying a word against my actions. She could've stopped me going inside the little nursery but she didn't. She simply followed quietly after me, standing just inside the door as I approached the cot. The cot looked far too large for her or maybe she was just so tiny that it looked a lot bigger.

She was deeply asleep she didn't make a sound when I whispered down into the cot.

"Hello baby."

It was only because she was so fast asleep that I carried on talking to her.

"I missed you, I really did."

I moved to sit beside her cot and slipped my hand in between the bars to stroke that back of her tiny hand with my index finger. I watched her chest rise and fall as I spoke to her.

"I know its only been a day but even that hurts now I've got you back." I paused and my voice returned quieter than before as I told her what I'd been wanting to say since I'd first seen her again.

"I'm sorry about what I did, you didn't deserve it."

My eyes welled up but I forced myself to keep talking,

"I hope you can believe me when I say I love you because I really do, more so than even your uncle and I didn't think I could love anyone as much as I care about him. Don't tell him I said that though you'll hurt his feelings."

It was Alice's little watery giggle that alerted me to her presence and I suddenly remember her following me into the room. My tears fell as I realised she'd heard everything. She muttered a quick apology and disappeared out the door, giving me the privacy that I craved. I'd never really been alone with Kasey only a couple of hours at a time but I wasn't leaving this time. I wasn't leaving her yet, I wasn't leaving her again ever. My eyes turned instantly to the sound her starting to cry. I jumped up from the floor, quicker than I probably should have.

"I'm so sorry darling, I never meant to wake you up. Come here sweetheart."

I didn't let myself worry about if I was holding her right at that moment. I just scooped her up into my arms and sank back down onto the floor. I formed a cradle with my arms and rocked her gently, singing the only lullaby I'd heard all the words too. My voice wasn't that best and I knew that but Kasey didn't seem to mind how every now and then I went a little off key. Her little green eyes closed and opened slowly as I sang and she soon fell back off to sleep as I ended the first chorus.

"...you'll be here in my heart, always."

**Rose**.

She was moving in today. I couldn't believe that dad had agreed to this. I was so angry I couldn't fully describe the feeling. I tried my hardest not to let on that I was, for Emmett's sake, but I'd never been good at hiding my emotions. I just had to keep telling myself that this was best for Kasey's sake and that it wasn't a permanent solution. We were all, minus Edward, waiting in the lounge when Alice, who was staring blatantly out of the front window, announced that they were here. I tried to keep my face as neutral as possible when she said it but I knew I'd failed when Jasper let out a snort of laughter at the sight of my undeniable grimace. I swiftly kicked him in the leg which stopped him laughing instantly. Alice was beaming when she ran to seat back down beside her husband. Edward arrived at the very same moment that Emmett, and Bella did. The silence that engulfed the lounge was painfully uncomfortable. Emmett was staring down Edward so hard I was actually surprised the glare didn't physically harm him.

"So would either of you like a drink?"

Was Esme's way of breaking the silence. Emmett seemed to get the message and turned to her, trying to make himself smile.

"Sure, what you got?"

Esme was beaming as she quickly defused the situation by taking Emmett into the kitchen and telling him what beer she had in the fridge. I was just getting up when dad spoke up this time,

"So how are you feeling now Bella?"

He hadn't been her doctor since they'd moved her to a different ward a few days earlier and he was clearly concerned about her. I couldn't see why, she looked healthy enough to not bother with questions. I turned my back on their conversation, uninterested and angered by what was happening, and headed into the kitchen. Part of me didn't want to interrupt the conversation that Emmett and Esme we're having and the other part of me didn't care all that much. I was in a very bad mood for obvious reason. I took Em's hand in my own and smiled when he squeezed it. Esme handed Em his beer and normally I would said something about drinking before lunch but not today, not after everything that's happen over the last two weeks.

"Did you want anything Rose?"

"I would love a cup of tea."

She smiled and went instantly over to the kettle. The second she clicked the switch on a voice filled the room making us all jump.

"_Hello baby." _

Esme jumped the worst out of all of us and it took her a minute to figure out it was coming from the baby monitor that was clipped onto her belt. All three of us where silent after Bella's choked up voice spoke. She kept talking oblivious to the fact that all of us could hear her pouring her heart out.

_"I missed you, I really did. I know its only been a day but even that hurts now I've got you back. _She paused for a moment,_ I'm sorry about what I did, you didn't deserve it. I hope you can believe me when I say I love you because I really do, more so than even your uncle and I didn't think I could love anyone as much as I care about him. Don't tell him I said that though you'll hurt his feelings." _

I looked up at Em but he wasn't looking anywhere near me. His eyes wear brimming with tears that I knew he wouldn't let fall. I had to admit that even though I didn't like his sister all that much for what she'd done to Kasey, I still felt my heart swelling as she spoke. It was clear she didn't know that we could hear her, I doubt she would be being quite so honest and open if she knew. Kasey started to murmur and cry softly. Bella noticed and after apologizing for waking her, she started singing a song I recognised from a Disney movie.

_"Come stop your crying, it'll be alright..."_

She'd only sang the first line when Esme took pity on her and switched off the monitor. Esme too had tears in her eyes by that point.

The kettle whistling brought us back to our forgotten reality. Esme made up cups of tea and coffee for everyone next door and we both helped her take them into the lounge. Bella's words rang through my head like church bells and I couldn't forget the way she'd sang to Kasey. Maybe she really could be a good mum after all, and maybe just maybe I could let go of my grudge against her and be friends like I'd wanted before all this had happened. It wasn't my place to hold what she'd done against her but even when I admitted that to myself I still didn't know if I could let it go. With one glance up at Emmett, whose eyes were a little redder than usual, the decision was made.

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A/N: If you didn't recognise the song in this chapter its from the movie Tarzan and it's called 'You'll be in my heart." It's one of my favourite songs and at first when I was planning this story Edward was going to the one singing it but that got changed to him humming the song he'd written for Esme. It seemed to work better that way when I writing it.

Anyway, I really hope you liked this chapter since it has taken a hell of a lot of effort to make myself write recently. So yeah, I hope you liked it and I would love to hear what you thought about it :)

Thanks for reading :)

Abbie :)


	18. The First of Many

Cannot apologize enough for how late this is but I FINALLY got a job! :D :D Well, two! lol Which I think have actually helped with the whole writers block thing :D

I really hope you like this cos I'm kinda nervous. I aint written for this fic in ages and I'm paranoid like normal :( Thanks for reading :) I'll stick with just this authors note cos I'm soo tried and I've got work at 8 am :( lol Thanks again for your patience it does mean a lot and I hope that all of you still want continue reading this fic after so many late updates.

Abbie :)

P.s - If you find any mistakes just let me know cos I really am half asleep lol :) and one very last thing, my friend Ashleigh who I mentioned in a previous authors note isnt ANYTHING like this Ashleigh they just look alike. That's the only similarities :)

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Chapter Eighteen

'The First of Many'

**Edward**.

It was so early, or late depending on how looked at it, that it physically hurt to have to move out from under my covers. My eyes were heavy and my mind was still partly asleep as I walked on auto pilot from my bedroom and down to the nursery. It was only when Kasey's cries went quiet that my brain started to wake up. For the three weeks that I'd looked after her she had never once settled on her own. My previously slow pace picked up as I started to panic. It would be great if she'd gone back off to sleep alone but I couldn't help but worry. Seriously when did I turn into such an old woman? I hate how this has changed me! I liked who I was even if most other people didn't. I decided then that I was going to have to do something to get my masculinity back. I'm not a pansy and tomorrow I'm going to go out with my friends, get drunk and more importantly get laid!

It was only when I opened the door and saw her that I remembered Bella moving in yesterday. She was sitting in the rocking chair in the corner of the room with Kasey across her chest. I should've looked away when I realised what Bella was doing but for some reason I didn't. My eyes followed her hand as she pulled open her dressing gown preparing to breastfed Kasey. I hadn't had sex since Kasey had appeared on my doorstep and just the sight of her partially bare breast was enough to cause a reaction. I was only wearing a pair of thin pyjama trousers and if she had been looking I would've been embarrassed. Instead I just turned away for a few minutes and thought about the usual things that helped; _grandma in a bikini, Emmett's hairy bare ass, _that kind of thing.

It worked and when Bella's sleepy voice called me I turned around to face her.

"Yeah?"

Her face flushed with colour as she asked quietly

"How long have you been there?"

I sighed and even though I knew I'd embarrassed her further I told her the truth.

"Long enough, sorry."

She flinched

"I said I was sorry and I didn't see much, honest! Besides it's not like I ain't them before."

That was the wrong thing to say, I knew it was because her face reddened even more. She focused her gaze on Kasey and refused to look me in the eye. I ran a hand through my hair when the silence became uncomfortable. I straightened up and cleared my throat.

"Well if you've got this" I waved a hand at her holding Kasey to indicate what I meant by 'this' "covered I'll just leave you too it."

I turned to leave feeling a little bad that I'd embarrassed her so badly, though I had to admit it didn't seem to be a difficult thing to do.

"Wait?"

She called after me and I turned in the doorway

"Yeah?"

She looked, if possible, even more embarrassed than before. She opened her mouth but no words came out at first.

"Bella?"

She did the same no words thing before shaking her head and in a very tiny voice, so quiet I barely caught it.

"Can you help me up?"

I wanted to laugh about her being to shy to ask for help but I figured she might not appreciate it so I held it back as best as I could.

"Sure. Are you sure she's finished though?"

Kasey was still drinking almost greedily which confused me. Bella looked down once and said with a sigh

"No but she'll be a while and I have a feeling if you don't help me out of this damn chair now, me and my newly huge thighs will be stuck here till morning."

I had to laugh at that. I simply couldn't stop it this time.

When I regained some control over my fit of laughter I took a deep breath and looked up expecting to find her scowling at me but what I found instead shocked me. There were tears in her eyes and as she blinked one tumbled down her pale cheek. _Shit! I didn't mean to make her cry! _I thought as I quickly went over to her. I wasn't sure what it was about her but whenever she cried I did the exact opposite of what I would normally do.

"I'm sorry."

Was the only thing I could think of when I reached her. She moved so her hair fell in front of her face.

"Look, I wasn't laughing at you, not really. I just wasn't expecting you come out with what you did and if I'm perfectly honest I don't think you're thighs are that big at all."

She lifted her just a little bit and her hair fell away slightly. She still looked miserable as she asked

"Really? You really mean that? They seem huge to me."

I laughed at little

"Yes really and between you and me, I think I actually prefer a girl with proper curves."

The blush returned and she laughed nervously. I hoped she didn't think that was me flirting because I wasn't or at least wasn't meaning too. I couldn't go there with her again. Too complicated. Way too complicated! I moved and sat down on the floor next to the rocking chair.

"When she's ready to let you go just let me know, I'll help you up." Least I could do for her really. As I lent up against the chair I could feel myself slipping in and out of sleep. I was nearly asleep when Bella's timid little voice reached my ears.

"Edward?"

"Hmm…"

Was the closest thing to speech that I could make.

"I am sorry. I'm sorry for bringing all this crap into your life."

That woke me up.

"Bella, I had it coming." I sighed knowing it was time to come clean "I could've come after you and told you but I just didn't wanna have to tell you."

"What are you talking about?"

I sighed even heavier than before, I had a feeling she wouldn't take this well.

"I knew we hadn't used a condom just after you left but I was too much of a coward to warn you so don't apologize to me, I really don't deserve one."

She was quiet for a moment while she thought about that. I really hoped she wouldn't blow up and yell again, I didn't fancy facing my entire family who would no doubt be woken up by her shouting.

Instead she shocked me by letting out a tiny giggle. Frowning I quickly asked

"What about that is funny?"

"You think it's bad what you did. I didn't even realize I was having a baby till she was coming out of me!"

She started laughing harder after she spoke, _what the fuck? _I thought as I replied what she'd said in my head.

"How could you not know?"

"You know I actually think on some level I did. I just didn't want to face it. Like I'd rather pretend it wasn't happened than admit to myself that something wasn't right."

Now that made more sense but as she admitted this to me, a question formed in my mind. My eyes stung as I tried to stay awake and ask her

"If you could go back, would you change it?"

She sighed and I felt the chair move as she shifted in her seat.

"I dunno really. What do you mean? Like if I had the chance to go back and actually find out I was pregnant, what would I do about it?"

"Yeah."

I tilted my body slightly eager to hear her answer. She looked down at Kasey, who was now just lying contented against her chest rather than nursing, and smiled a small smile.

"It's hard to answer because when I look at her I just think, that's they no way in hell I would've been able to have an abortion and never get to hold her but then I think that I wouldn't have known her then she would have just been cells. So if I'm 100% honest, I don't think she'd be here if I'd had the choice in the past."

I was stunned by her honesty.

**Bella**.

"Bella! Bella!"  
Whoever is calling me this early in the morning clearly doesn't think their life is worth living.  
"Alice, don't wake her up."  
I love you Esme. You're an angel.  
I buried myself deeper into the soft covers and tried to block out all the sound around me. Kasey had had me up three times in the night and I was now reluctant to move. Didn't all baby books say that when baby's sleeping mum should be too?

Alice hadn't read any of those books it seemed. I jumped as the door was thrown open and she called her voice bright and bubbly,  
"Morning."  
She really must have a death wish.  
"Come on Bella, its shopping time!"  
Ok now I'm defiantly not moving, ever!  
"Alice leave her alone."  
I heard Esme yelling up the stairs. Alice went quiet for a few seconds but the second I started celebrating mentally, my cover was yanked off me. The cold air hit me like a ton of bricks and I couldn't hold back the swear words.

"Language Bella, tut tut."  
I turned around to face her glaring. She smiled at me kindly ignoring the hostility and anger that my glare held and walked around the side of my bed to my wardrobe, walking straight past my open but not unpacked suitcase. Sitting up in my bed I watched her with curiosity as she pulled open the wardrobe and began studying its contents. My voice was still thick with sleep as I asked  
"What are you doing?"  
She picked out a long black and white checkered shirt and slung it over her arm.  
"Getting you something to wear."  
She replied as she picked up something black that I couldn't make out from this distance. She then grabbed a pair of white ballerina pumps from the bottom of the wardrobe before turning back around to face me.  
"But my clothes are in the suitcase." I asked confused knowing I hadn't put anything away and that I didn't own a shirt like the one she was holding, at least not in those colours. She handed me her chosen outfit and I said,

"I can choose my own clothes you know."

"Oh I know but I just thought you might want to wear something great today." She replied standing in front of me smiling brightly. My eyes narrowed at her words, she was basically insulting my dress sense, not that I cared that much. Fashion is the least of my worries but why would simply going shopping require me to look great? It didn't make much sense to me. She noticed me frowning and explained

"We're going to get fitted for our dresses today and Rose's cousin's going to be there. We all noticed you know each other and that you don't get along." She sighed and sat down beside me

"Basically it's going to be hard for you to walk in there with Kasey and face a girl you don't like so I figured you could at least look awesome when you do."

I started to panic before she'd even finished talking. How could I face her with a baby? She'd go back to Arizona and tell everyone about it and to make matters worse Jake would find out and he'd probably think I'd cheated on him. We may not still be together but finding out that your ex-girlfriend got pregnant by someone else less than a week after you broke up, if he even believed that, would have to hurt.

I forced myself to smile at Alice,

"Thanks."

She nodded looking a little bit awkward

"Welcome."  
After a few minutes of silence she said,

"So I better leave you to get dressed."

She then very quickly pulled me towards her and hugged me before finally leaving. I sighed once she was gone and rubbed the sleep from my tired eyes. I groaned as I got up off the bed, I wasn't used to this little sleep and I had to admit it hurt!

After one of the nicest, most relaxing showers I'd had in a while I got dressed and shoved my damp hair up into a lose pony tail and headed down the hall towards Kasey's nursery. I past Edward's room on my way there and couldn't help but remember our conversation last night and how he'd found me, nearly asleep and basically flashing him! The blush appeared the second the memory did. I tried not to dwell on it, it's not like he hadn't seen my breasts before. I sighed and continued on to the little bedroom were my daughter was hopefully still sleeping though after Alice's too-loud 'wake up Bella' thing this morning it wasn't likely.

I pushed open the doorway to find Esme chatting away to Kasey as she changed her diaper. Kasey was smiling brightly up at her grandmother as she smiled and giggled down at her.

"Who's a smelly baby?" She pulled off the old diaper and disposed of it. Kasey smiled just that little bit wider, mini dimples like mine and my brothers forming at the sides of her mouth, as she stretched out her little legs contented by her freedom from the diaper. Esme turned and when she saw the smile had grown said in the same silly baby voice everyone acquired while talking to infants, "That's right you are"

I snorted with laughter and Esme looked up startled by my sudden appearance. I did my very best to stop laughing and bit my lip to make sure I didn't start up again. I'd always found the baby voice pretty hilarious even if I did it myself from time to time. It was more adults using it that got me laughing. Esme shook her head at my reaction and continued with the job at hand.

"I can do that if you don't want too, I don't mind." I told her as she grabbed a fresh diaper.

"I know you can sweetheart but I'm almost done now." I must have looked a bit dejected by what she'd said because she quickly said

"But if you want to grab her some clothes that would be really helpful."

I nodded and walked over to her wooden chest of drawers behind Esme. Not really sure what I was suppose to be getting I just picked out the first thing I found. It was a little black and grey dress with Winnie the Pooh characters along the bottom and there were a tiny pair of black leggings, it was very nearly a baby version of my clothes. As that thought crossed my mind I had a feeling that maybe Alice had left this outfit on top of the others for a reason. I grabbed them both, along with socks, a pair of white fabric shoes and a bodysuit to go under her clothes.

I went back to Esme proud that I'd helped in just a small way. I was so grateful to her, she could've just woken me up this morning when Kasey had woken but she hadn't. She'd let me regain some energy from my sleepless night by a couple of hours extra than I should've really had. She backed away from the changing table when I came to stand beside her. Smiling all the time she let me dress my daughter with shy timid movements. This was a first for me; whenever Esme or her son had brought Kasey in she'd been freshly changed and dressed. I'd changed her once before when the nurse had said she'd show me. I slipped the white body suit onto her being as careful and gentle as possible. When that was done I slid the black leggings over her diaper and put on the black and grey dress. She looked at the whole time, big eyes studying my face as I worked to get her ready. She wouldn't stop smiling at me and even though she appeared happy to see me a part of my mind couldn't help but wonder if she had any memory of what I'd done to her. If she'd remember, however vaguely, the things I'd said to her in the car and in my bedroom.

I knew it was silly to think like that because I was here now, back in her life with no intention of ever leaving her again. Shaking my head lightly to clear it of the guilt I couldn't stop feeling, I made myself look up at Esme.

"Thank you."

She frowned and handed me the socks I'd left on the edge of the changing mat.

"For this; for helping me and Kasey when nobody else wanted to."

She shook her head as if to disagree and told me simply, as if it ended the subject,

"You're family."

"She is but I'm not."

Esme went to argue her point but I cut her off determined to thank her properly before she could blow it off and leave the room.

"Look, whether you see it or not, you've done so much for me and I just wanted to say how grateful I am because I don't deserve this. I don't deserve your kindness you just need to let me say thank you."

I moved my attention back to my, tiny and squirming with impatience, daughter who was officially dressed as I popped her shoes on. I had just lifted her up so she was resting against my chest when Esme finally replied.

"Bella, don't ever think you don't deserve the same kindness as others. You are wonderful person and you're already a wonderful mother which I have to say isn't something many people your age have the capability to be. You're a genuinely lovely person and haven't deserved even a quarter of the bad things that have happened in the last few months."

I blushed deeply at her praise and dipped my head to hide behind my hair as tears sprang up in my eyes. Crying for the second time in less than eight hours was seriously embarrassing. _It's just hormones! It won't last! These insane emotions will end sooner than you think! _My head tried to reassure me but it didn't really help all that much.

"You're family are the ones who should be ashamed Bella. There going around like you committed some kind of crime. Their attitudes towards what's happen are practically medieval!"

I forced myself to look up at her as she ranted about my family and how they'd practically abandoned and disowned me. She wasn't done yet though.

"And as for your father! I've known Charlie for nearly all of my adult life and I never would've thought he'd react this badly. He's lucky I haven't given him a good slap around the head for how he's behaved."

I openly flinched at the mention of my dad. He hadn't seen me since he'd brought me that suitcase but I knew he'd been to the hospital a few times before my release to sign form and such. I wanted to laugh at the image of Esme slapping my dad, who was quite a bit taller than her, around the head but I was still a bit down from her mentioning him in the first place. I was really put down by his rejection even though I'd been preparing for it, it still hadn't been easy to cope with.

"And from what I've heard you're mothers no better!"

Her rant seemed to be coming to an end and I was grateful for it. It was only when Esme said six simple words that her rant ended.

"I hear she's a right bitch."

I laughed openly at that and held Kasey just a tad tighter to my body. Heading through the open doorway I turned back to a stunned Esme. She clearly hadn't been expecting me to laugh at her comment, be offended or angry maybe but find it funny, that she hadn't thought was possible by the look on her face. I spoke through my laughter, replying to her statement about my mum.

"Oh believe me, you have no idea!"

Still laughing I made my way down the stairs to where I was sure Alice and Rosalie and possibly her aunt and cousin, Ashleigh; one of my biggest enemies, would be waiting for me so we could leave for another attempt at the last minute dress fitting. I was pretty sure Alice and Ashleigh would've had their done by now so I didn't really see why they had to come too. As I hopped down lightly off the bottom step and entered the kitchen I got a little taste of what was to come.

"Mornin' slag."

My whole body tensed at the sound of her voice but I refused to let her get to me. She had quite a nerve calling me that across a room full of people, my brother and the family of my child included. Emmett practically choked on his coffee and Rosalie surprised me by reacting the way she did.

"Ashleigh, I warned you!"

She rolled her eyes at Rosalie and muttered under her breath just loud enough for everyone to hear.

"She may as well get used to the nickname."

I felt tears building up again but I refused to let myself cry because of her and in the end she was right. I had better get used to being called names like that. It was going to happened probably everyday for the rest of high school and it probably wouldn't help that I was starting a new school here in forks in September, I would start that school not just as 'the new girl' but as 'new girl who has a baby'. With those thoughts weighing heavy in my mind I looked up with thankfully still dry eyes and stared straight into the eyes of the girl who'd just insulted me.

"You call me a slag because I'm holding a baby but I'm not the one who spread her legs for half the basket ball team."

I didn't raise my voice or even say it in a vindictive tone. I simply stated the fact that yes I have a baby but that she was far more promiscuous through school than I had ever or would ever be. The looks on hers and her mother's faces at my comeback was amazingly satisfying.

Smiling to myself I shifted Kasey's body a little to make sure she was resting safely enough on me for me to move at least one arm, before walking around the table to grab myself some breakfast, all the while feeling happier than I had in a while. Kasey gurgled against my shoulder and I felt her drooling over my clean t shirt but I just smiled. I really didn't care what people were going to say about me, what someone already was saying because it was simple. Some people were on the football team, some in the glee club or on the chess team, some helped out at their parent's stores or fixed up cars in their spare time but me, I was a mum and yes that wasn't just in my spare time; after school or at the weekends. But that didn't make me any less proud to wear my label.

My bubble of newly gained confidence shattered into oblivion when I heard Rosalie listing off the people on the guest list for Saturday's ceremony.

"There's my parents, Jasper, Alice, Edward, Auntie Sophie, Ashleigh, and Granddad's flying in on Friday. Then there's your family so we've got Bella, Kasey, your dad, your mum and Phil-"

I'd heard the whole conversation but I hadn't paid attention till she'd mentioned mum. I didn't know why I hadn't realised this sooner, but it just clicked in my head. Rosalie cut off mid-sentence as the bowl that held my cereal fell to the tiled floor and shattered. I was going to have to face my mother again in less than four days, my heart started racing and I felt like I was going to faint. My head started to spin and I called for Emmett. I managed to hold onto consciousness just long enough for Em to be there to catch me and Kasey as I fell.


	19. Serious Emotional Overload

That was a pretty fast update for me :) In this chapter its Rose's wedding day and although it may seem a little random jump at first, the last part of chapter eighteen is not forgotten. :) I apologize if there are any mistakes in the this chapter I didn't type pretty fast and I can't promise it's mistake free though I have had a friend check since my eye sight lies to me when I try lol

Anyway, thanks for reading and for all you lovely reviews on the last chapter :)

Hope you like :)

Abbie :)

* * *

Nineteen

'Serious Emotional Overload'

**Rose**.

Nervous butterflies fluttered in my stomach as Alice laced up the back of my dress. I'd never felt like this before. I mean I'd felt nervous before like on my first day of school but that was years ago and even then it wasn't the same kind of nerves. I looked up into the mirror on the wall in front of me and smiled, _I'm getting married today! _With one final tug on the laces, my beaming sister in law moved around till she was standing by my side.

"All done."

She grabbed my hand and I giggled with happiness as she made me twirl around on the spot. She was so much shorter than me that I had to duck under her arm but that just made me laugh for that little bit longer.

A loose curl fell into my eyes and Esme, whose reflection had quite suddenly appeared beside mine in the mirror, moved to stand in front of me and reached up to tuck it behind my ear. She smiled at me and with tears in her eyes spoke her voice choked with emotion

"You look so beautiful."

I was used to being called that but again this wasn't the same. My eyes were filling with happy tears as I pulled my step-mother into a hug. I was having a serious emotional overload but I'd been expecting this reaction today. We didn't speak while we embraced and just held onto one another for a few minutes and over my shoulder I saw Alice grabbed her clutch bag and quietly slip out the door.

Esme eventually detangled herself out of my grip and swiped furiously at her cheeks to remove the fallen tears from her face. There were so many things I felt I needed to say to her today. She may have only been in my life for around two years but that didn't matter. I'd grown up without a mother and never, until she'd arrived, had realised I needed one. She was my mother and I wanted to tell her how I felt but I wasn't given the chance. Alice lent around the doorframe and said

"Sorry to interrupt" When both me and Esme turned to give her our full attention she continued "But the cars are here."

Esme sighed

"That's actually what I came up to tell you" She went quiet and looked up into my eyes with her red rimmed ones and whispered smiling like she didn't care that she had.

"I guess I got distracted."

We didn't have time for a heart to heart right now so I did the only thing I could think off to some up my feelings instead.

"Come on, Mum. Can't be late for my own wedding, now can I?"…

…My heart was beating furiously against my ribcage as the hired car pulled into the grounds of the town church. When we'd visited here a couple of months ago, when we'd first found out about the baby, I'd thought he or she would probably be here before we actually got to get married. I'd been so surprised when they'd said they could fit us in the week after, not like we'd chosen that date of course. It would've been much too hard to organise everything on such short notice. Em hadn't been as surprised. Telling me that in a small town rather than a big city like Seattle, where Jasper and I had grown up, there weren't nearly half as many couples waiting to get married which equalled little to no waiting list. I'd be ecstatic though, when we'd booked our wedding for the end of August, two months from then because even though I'd thought it was unlikely, I had wanted our child born with his or her parent's married. I wasn't religious or anything I had just never planned on it being any other way.

The car came to a stop and dad shifted in his seat waiting for the chauffeur to open the door for us. Dad took a deep breath and stepped out onto the gravel before turning and offering me his hand. I bunched up the end of my dress and took it. Alice, Ashleigh, Esme, Bella and Kasey were already there. They were all waiting outside the entrance to the church and they were all smiling at me and my dad as he lead me across the gravel and up the old stone steps. Esme looked like she'd continued to cry lightly on the way over here, I noticed as she lent towards me and dad, kissing me gently on either cheek before meeting her lips with dads in chaste show of affection that had in the early days of their relationship made me cringe but now caused the opposite. Alice came up alongside us and said

"We're just waiting for you now; we'll go on your signal."

I nodded to her and told them to start. I was ready for this, more than ready. On my approval, my bridesmaids, with Kasey being carried by her mother, made their way down the aisle towards the altar where Emmett and Jasper, who Em had surprised me by asking to be his best man, were waiting. Dad glanced down at me then and hurriedly asked

"Last chance for a quick get away?"

I just laughed and shook my head at him.

"Not a chance of that happening, sorry."

"Didn't think for a second you would say yes but it seemed better to ask than to not."

He was smiling but his eyes were sad, almost like he'd hoped I'd take the opportunity to run and not get married after all. He moved to face the front and went to take a step forwards but I stopped him. He turned and something like hope shined in his eyes very briefly before it was replaced by shock.

"You know that I love you dad, right?"

His eyes softened and he nodded before hastily replying

"I love you too, Rosie."

He hadn't called me Rosie since I was little. I'd been known as Rose since middle school. I understood then why he'd wanted me to run and I tried to reassure him as quickly as I could.

"I'm not going far, just down the road besides I had to grow up sometime."

He nodded but his eyes we're still sad. Alice, the last of the three of them, had reached the altar. We were out of time.

"I know but it doesn't matter."

I stared into his blue eyes that matched mine exactly and he continued.

"It doesn't matter that in less than half an hour, you'll be Mrs. Rosalie Swan or that you're going to be a parent yourself soon because you'll always be my little Rosie but that doesn't make it any easier to let go."

The wedding march filled the church and dad sent one last reassuring smile in my direction before taking my arm and threading it through his to lead me towards where Emmett waited nervously for me to join him…

…The vicar's voice floated through the church as Emmett and I beamed across at one another both eager for him to hurry his official speech so we could close the distance that was currently between us and share our first kiss as husband and wife. We didn't have to wait long thankfully,

"…you may now kiss the bride."

The word bride was barely out of the vicar's mouth before Emmett's own found mine. He kissed me with a need so strong and passionate that it made my knees genuinely feel a little weak. His arm wound around my body, holding me as close to him as was humanly possible without crushing me. I was left literately breathless when he reluctantly pulled away to breath. It was the most intense kiss we'd ever shared which was saying something. I was gasping for air but that didn't stop a goofy grin spreading over my face. Dazed I let Emmett take my hand to lead me down the aisle, past all our family and friends, who I had to admit that in my happy little daze I barely noticed them as they clapped politely and smiled at us.

I gripped Em's hand tightly and sighed, a contented sigh as we settled into the back of the hired car. Leaning against him in the back of our hired car, I sighed a contented sigh and sank back into the leather seat, cuddling up against him. The trail of dress, though relatively small, spread draped over his legs as I moved to put my legs up to rest across his. He stroked the bare skin of my leg as we drove back toward dad and Esme's house. We were having the reception there simply because it was cheaper and a lot more personal than a hall rented for the evening.

"I so can't wait to get you out of that dress."

Were the first words he spoke to me as my legal husband. Not 'I love you' or anything romantic like that but I actually didn't care because a sappy hopeless sensitive romantic wasn't the man I married, he had his moments on rare occasions but generally it wasn't him and I didn't want him to be anything but the amazing person he already was.

"As much as I can't wait for you to do just that, we have to go and greet our guests."

He groaned and buried his head into my shoulder. I giggled at his reaction and wound my fingers through his hair as he started planting opened mouthed kisses along my neck.

"Are you sure we can't make time?"

He asked eventually but as he sat up he got his answer. Dozens of cars we're parked in our driveway as we pulled in. The chauffeur had been told earlier to drive around for longer than normal to give our guests time to change location. Emmett sighed and readjusted himself, causing me to laugh lightly at him. I was just as turned on and uncomfortable with need as he was but it wasn't obvious like it would be for him. He climbed out of the open car door after taking a minute to calm himself down. He turned and offered me his hand in very much the same way as my dad had less than twenty minutes ago. I scooped up my dress in my left hand and took hold my husband's hand with the other, allowing him to walk hand in hand towards the house with his wife.

**Esme**.

I was sitting with Kasey in the garden under the large white gazebo that housed all the tables and chairs for the guests watching the photographer set up his camera in front of the perfect flower bed, when she approached me.

"Hello, you must be Esme."

I turned in my seat and eyed her once and knew who she was instantly. I'd seen her briefly during the ceremony but we hadn't spoken yet. If I was honest I didn't particularly want to share a conversation with this woman given what I knew about her but I owed it Rose and Emmett to keep my opinions to myself and be polite.

"Esme Cullen"

I offered her my hand to shake which she did as I said trying hard to hold back any emotion other than curiosity.

"And you must be Renee"

She nodded and took the seat beside me.

"It was a wonderful ceremony don't you think?"

She was smiling as she no doubt recalled the events of today.

I nodded "Yes, it was."

She noticed Kasey then and suddenly began cooing over her which confused me and angered me at the same time. Everything made a little more sense when she asked

"Is she yours?"

I shook my head

"Granddaughter, actually." _Yours too, for that matter! _I thought with anger. Hadn't Charlie told her about Bella? He said he'd tried to talk to her about Bella moving back. Had she simply dismissed the idea before he could explain his reasons for her being homeless in the first place? Either way the idea of her cooing and admiring her own granddaughter without knowing it was getting to me. Would she be reacting this way if she knew? Or would her reaction be the exact opposite?

Her knowledge of the situation became apparent as she said

"I can't wait for Rose to have the baby. I'd love to be grandmother."

I looked down at the Kasey after she said that, trying to silently ask her what she thought about this and whether she wanted Renee to know about their relation. Luckily for me I didn't have to decide, Bella's appearance did that for me. She didn't notice her mother at first. She had eyes only for her daughter. She scooped her up without a seconds notice

"Did you miss, mummy?"

Kasey, having no understanding of the English language just yet, burped in response.

"I'll take that as a yes."

Bella told her laughing as she spoke. She bounced on the spot a little as she quickly began thanking me for watching her while she ran to the toilet, like it had been some huge favour to ask.

"It was no prob-"

I started when Bella's very shocked mother spoke up.

"Wait, she's your daughter?"

Bella's face paled and for a second I was worried she was going to faint like she had earlier in the week but she didn't. With a tense posture she moved to stare straight into her mother's eyes, which were at this moment more shocked than angry, eyes burning with intense emotions.

"Yeah like dad didn't tell you. At least, you're not the only one who wants nothing to do with me anymore or people might just notice how much of a bitch you really are."

We were both left shocked and staring after her as she marched off towards the house, only stopping when Alice grabbed her arm to stop her.

"I thought you said she was your granddaughter?"

The venom beneath her tone shocked me more than Bella had. She either she thought I'd lied to her or it was simply the fact that her sixteen year old daughter had gotten pregnant by my son.

"She is."

I spoke calmly hoping to keep her from making a scene. I was actually still surprised that she genuinely hadn't care enough about her daughter to enquire as to why she was hospitalized in the first place. She'd taken my calm tone as a hint to rein in her emotions from how she sounded when she asked,

"When?"

"What do you mean when? When did it happen or when was she born?"

She thought for a moment before stating.

"Both."

I sighed and told her everything I knew; only leaving out the more personal parts of Bella and my sons explanations. When I was finished she met my gaze and whispered more to herself than to me.

"He was that boy."

My curiosity spiked at her mumblings and I had to ask,

"What boy?"

She sighed and ran her fingers through her short wavy hair to push the fallen layers off her face.

"My partner said something to her. I'd been a bit suspicious for a while that there was something going on between them; she jumped at the chance to move a little too quickly considering it was Washington that she moving too. Anyway, she hit him for reasons I still don't know and I don't know why but I hit her for it." Her voice trailed off and everything inside my mind was blurring with a building anger. I was going to lose it with this woman and I had to gain some control before I actually snapped. I kept my mouth shut tight and refused to say a word in reply through fear of yelling myself hoarse.

"Phil told me it was nothing so I didn't go after her straight away. Maybe if I had this wouldn't have happened. She wouldn't have met him and everything would've been fine." She smiled at the thought and after everything it was that simple little smile that made me finally lose it.

I vaguely noticed Alice and Edward making their way over to us as I practically hissed through clenched teeth

"Fine? And what's your definition of fine?"

Her face would've been amusing if I hadn't been too angry to properly appreciate the humour in it.

"Does fine, in your world, mean shipping your sixteen year daughter off to another state to live with her elderly grandmother who is so senile that she can't even tell her granddaughters pregnant, just so you and your toy boy can have sex in every room in the house? Because in my life, no in a _proper mother's _life that does not in anyway equal FINE!"

She flinched back into her seat and I felt strong hands grip around my shoulders. I tensed but let my son steer me away from the women I'd just insulted in front of mine and her family. I calmed down enough while walking that Edward let go of me and with my freedom I stormed past the family that was gathered in front of the photographer and went into the house. I just needed a minute, I couldn't face them right this second. I needed to be fully calm before facing Renee again or actually meeting her husband, which I knew would happen at some point throughout the evening.

I wasn't sure how long I stood in the kitchen, my hands gripping the edge of the sink so tightly I was surprised it didn't crumble into dust. Taking deep breaths I waited for the surge of emotions that had invaded my body a few moments ago to burn themselves out.

"Mum?"

Edward's voice was quieter than normal and I could tell from the way he called out somewhat timidly that he was checking on me. Accessing on whether it was safe to ask me to come out for the photos.

"Yes?"

My voice shook as I spoke but I turned away from the counter regardless. He stood back from me, lingering in the doorway.

"Their waiting for us."

He indicated with his hand behind him towards the garden, where they were all waiting for us. I felt bad for making them wait even longer but I just needed to ask him something before I left this kitchen.

"Do you think I'm a good mum?"

He took him a few seconds to recover from the shook of a random emotionally question like what I'd just asked of him. He rubbed the back of his neck and ran the same hand up through his hair before answering.

"Of course you are."

He never had been good at emotionally conversations but even that simple little answer from my son was enough. I moved swiftly across the room to hug him tight. He gently returned it asking

"Why would you think for a second that you weren't?"

I shook my head, not even sure why I'd needed the confirmation but I had. Meeting Renee, who was a pretty awful example of a good parent although not entirely my definition of a terrible mother, had made me think for a bit, made me question my own parenting skills and the like. It was silly, I was nothing like her. I tried my absolute best to be a mother first with everything else coming second, even Carlisle. If I'd had to chose between the two there was no contest. It would be hard to live without him granted but my son would always come first. That was how it should be for parents, child first and partner second. Clearly nobody had thought to inform Renee of this little bit of what I'd thought was common knowledge. I'd just have to inform her of this sometime soon. I gave my son one quick squeeze before releasing him. I felt much better now even though I knew that the fight between me and Renee was far from over but for today my argument would have to be enough. I'd embarrassed myself and my family tonight and I promised myself as I walked back out into the garden that I would avoid Renee at all costs for the rest of the evening. I'd caused enough of a scene for one evening.


	20. Saved by the Baby

Hi, yes I am still alive just stupidly busy! Which I will explain at the end note, I only have one thing to say here which is a huge thank you for everyone who alerted, favourited and/or reviewed :D Your comments mean the world to me so thank you! Anyway, here's chapter 20, hope you like...

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**Twenty**

'Saved by the Baby'

**Bella.**

Seeing mum again hadn't been as terrifying as I'd thought it would be. Esme was incredible. She'd really stuck up for me and even though I wouldn't admit it to anyone it had been great to watch mum get yelled out for a change. I wanted to thank her but she'd dismissed me when I'd brought it up saying she didn't want to talk about it anymore today. My mum avoided Esme for the rest of evening, sticking to the dickheads side like glue; almost like she was afraid of her. It was defiantly amusing. Seeing my grandma, on the other hand, had really taken it out of me. She'd utterly blanked me. It had hurt more to be ignored than to be sneered at.

The moment that Jasper finished his best-man speech I wanted to run into the house and just be alone with my baby. Kasey was starting to nod off in her carry basket and the outlook for my desire was looking good. As soon as the dancing started I slipped the handle of the carry basket up my arm and left before I could change my mind. The only noise in the empty house was the sounds of the music drifting across the lawn from the party. Music softly playing, the words of which I could just barely make out until I pulled the back door closed behind me. The house fell silent and I tried not to make a noise as I climbed the staircase and retreated into my bedroom.

The absence of noise was bliss to my ringing ears; the only noise that broke the silence was Kasey's light breathing that was just barely audible. The upstairs was in total darkness so when I stepped off the top step and onto the hallway carpet I reached a hand out in front of me searching for the light switch. My fingers brushed along the textured paper of the hall wall for a few seconds before I found it. I was too klutzy with the lights on to risk the walk to my bedroom with no light to guide me, especially with my tiny baby relying on me to keep her safe and not trip and hurt her.

The nursery was the closest door to the stairs so I headed in there first, _May as well grab her Moses basket and pyjamas now and save having too later._ I moved very carefully doing my best not to wake her as I undid the straps of her carry basket and lifted her up out of it to rest securely against my chest. It was easier to undo the little buttons on her deep purple bridesmaid dress with her upright against me, supporting her with one hand and undoing them with the other. When the last button popped open I laid her gently down against her changing mat and slid the dress from her body, praying every second that she wouldn't wake up. It would too hard to get her back off to sleep. I just didn't have the energy right now. All I wanted to do right this second was to crawl into bed and cry it out but that wasn't an option because I had things to do first, things that were going to be disrupted according to the voice that spoke from the doorway effectively scaring the shit out of me.

"You ok?"

I jumped back in surprise, eternally grateful that Kasey was on her changing mat and not in my arms when he'd spoke.

"Apart from a minor heart attack, I'm just fine thanks." I muttered in response, my left palm flat against my rib cage in an attempt to steady my breathing. He let out a small laugh and still smiling he approached the changing table.

"You know, I'd never changed a diaper in my life till her. Never had plans too ever do so either!" His eyes darkened a shade and I laughed nervously before grabbing the clean diaper that I'd picked up earlier and getting to work.

"Me neither." I told him in an even smaller voice than before. The shock was clear in his voice when he answered with

"But you're a girl?"

Breaking the rhythm I'd gathered of fastening Kasey's yellow sleep suit up I moved my concentration from her for a second to stare at him. _How dumb was he? _Just because I was a girl doesn't mean I knew everything there was too know about babies. I was as new at this as he was.

"And your point?" He shifted on his feet uncomfortably under my glare. It felt good to have some kind of power of him, even if it was just my hormones that he was afraid of.

"Well, chicks always know this stuff!"

"Oh so now I'm a chick? You're being particularly sexiest and insulting tonight, aren't you?"

He rolled his eyes and stepped forward towards me and Kasey. Taking that as a signal to shut up and let it go for now I lent back down to finish dressing Kasey for the night. I'd barely do up another button when his voice in my ear ceased the movement of my hands.

"Can we just not fight?" His voice was exactly the right volume and tone to make every bone in my body go soft and my skin tingly. Just simply his voice and proximity were enough to make me want him. It was the same feeling I'd felt from him at the hotel and it was a dangerous feeling.

With one glance at my daughter as a reminder of just how stupid and dangerous it was to follow this feeling, I pulled myself away from him mumbling like an idiot. I backed away until my back hit the dresser, the handle jabbing me in the back was enough to wake me up and shake this feeling from my body. However, the room felt warmer now and I needed air to clear the last of the tainted thoughts from my mind. Throwing open the window the sounds from the party below us drifted in. Edward was staring at me strangely when I turned back to him. He had one hand planted firmly on the changing table, I assume to make sure Kasey didn't move off where she was supposed to be. Like she would though, she can't even lift her head let alone roll over off a changing table but I was still glad he was there because you never know and I'm sure it's happened to other babies before.

His eyes stared into mine; such an uncomfortable stare that I couldn't hold it and the stained wooden flooring became my focus point as I walked away from the window. The music floated through the now open window and the opening lines of a song I loved touched my ears. I wasn't surprised to hear it playing, anyone else's wedding and a relatively unknown Owl City song would have shocked me but Emmett was the one who'd brought me their album and made me love them so much in the first place. He'd obviously requested this song for himself and Rose.

_You're the sky that I fell threw, and I remember the view whenever I'm holding you…_My mouth formed the words unconsciously and Edward noticed even though I wasn't singing, simply mouthing the lyrics. While I'd been distracted he'd finished buttoning Kasey's sleep suit which I was grateful for since now I didn't have to go too close to him again. All I had to do was get him to put her in her bed and I could, hopefully, escape without embarrassing myself further. He had other ideas. The second Kasey was lying in her crib he grabbed my hand up into his, causing a shiver to run down my spine at the contact, and grinned.

"What?" I asked when his grin didn't fade. He tugged my hand gently, our fingers lacing together, pulling me towards him. I tried to resist his hold but I just wasn't that strong.

"It's a party and you didn't dance once." He stated to which I replied

"Yeah well I don't dance and I'm pretty sure you don't either."

"Fair point but then this will just have to be a first for both of us." The grin was back on his face as he moved me so my chest was close enough to brush against him as we moved around the tiny floor space available. I wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it, it just didn't seem real. This wasn't happening, it couldn't be. The words caught my attention then and to keep myself upright I focused on them rather than what was happening for the time being…_Unmistakably I can still feel your heart beat fast when you dance with me…_that particular line didn't help me one bit with the distraction I craved because I was so close to him I could feel ever beat of his heart and the words only brought it to my attention.

"Lighten up its supposed to be fun," I looked up at him and frowned "or so I'm told, anyway." I suppressed a giggle but he could tell that I was holding the laughter he wanted to hear back and he smirked down at me.

_Circle me and the needle moved gracefully…_ He span me around so fast I thought my legs would give out under the force of the turn, making me dizzy and sending me crashing down into his arms, a giggling mess. My clumyness had always been a source of entertainment and humiliation to me. Today it had decided to entertain me. There simply was no stopping the laughter once it started and the dancing was fun once I'd stopped worrying about every little thing. So what if him touching me made me feel good? It didn't matter as long as I didn't act on it. I wasn't going there with him ever again, _far too complicated!_ But that didn't mean I couldn't enjoy his company for the time being.

_Risk it all, cos I'll catch you if you fall, wherever you go, if my heart was a house you'd be home…_I'd forgotten how much I'd loved this song until it had started playing. I felt his eyes on me again but I was too embarrassed by the attention to meet his stare. Luckily, I was saved by the baby, the song wasn't over but our dancing was when she cried stealing our attention away from each other and onto her. I wasn't entirely sure what had just happened. Only one explanation fit his actions he was trying to get lucky with me tonight like he had the last wedding we'd been at but that so wasn't happening. One, I wasn't going there with him again, like I'd said too complicated and second, I actually couldn't at this very moment in time. I was still a little too sore downstairs and the doctor (not Carlisle, thank god) had told me that they didn't recommend having sex for the next few weeks to give my body time to heal itself after labour.

His grip on my arm loosened and I smiled shyly as I broke away from him and went over to the crib, leaning over the side. My hair fell over my face, hiding me from Edwards view, a good thing since I was about eleven shades of red after dancing so close to him. My whole body was flushed after that experience. The song had another two verses left to go and I was worried that once I moved away from Kasey he would want to continue. I really didn't understand where this side of him had come from all I could guess was that it came from a little too much to drink and the fact that I was one of the only girls here that wasn't related to him. Actually, this situation was a little too much like the night we met and I didn't like the similarities. _I won't do anything! Not this time! I promised myself I would never do anything stupid like that again and I meant it! _I sighed, nothing was going to happen, I wouldn't let it but that didn't mean I couldn't enjoy his good mood a little longer, did it?

My wandering thoughts returned to the present and I watched Kasey's eyes slowly close and her quiet cries turned into more of a soft gurgling sound, as she fell back to sleep. Apparently Esme's method of leaving children to settle themselves actually worked. Smiling I turned back around, just as the last chorus started up and the song began to wind down.

_If my heart was a compass you'd be north…_ I could feel his eyes on me before I'd actually properly looked up at him. When I actually bothered to look I could tell he'd been drinking. I sighed, _I'd guessed as much._ I stayed by the crib and waited out the rest of the song with a comfortable distance between us. The last sounds of what was once one of my favourite songs faded and another replaced it. It didn't care about this song. I didn't want to be in the same room as him anymore. I had to admit, if only to myself, that yes I was attracted to him but that was all it was, a simple attraction and that was all it would ever be. He was the father of my child and I couldn't just forget him if a relationship ended badly, like I could with other guys, it just wasn't a possibility because that wouldn't be fair to Kasey. For now, the only solution to my current problem was to vacate the nursery and go to bed.

"I think I'm gonna head to bed, long day."

His eyes told me he knew it was an excuse but he nodded to me

"Fair enough."

I hurried past him keeping a measurable distance between us all the while. I paused in the doorway and turned leaning slightly on the frame of the door,

"Goodnight, Edward."

He smiled at me

"Goodnight, Bella."

I smiled back and pushed away from the doorframe, shaking my head to clear any lingering thoughts of him as I headed into my own bedroom, wishing he'd never disturbed me so I could've had Kasey with me tonight like I'd planned in the beginning, and closed the door shut behind me.

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Sorry this took so long to write, I really am. I've been stupidly busy and my best friend who I haven't seen in nearly 9 months cos she moved to Paris, randomly decided to come back and stay with me for two weeks! Not a brilliant excuse but its the only one I have :( Sorry again, I will try and update faster in the future. It should get easier soon, I work in a senior school and its summer hols in four weeks :D So lots of writing time :D

Oh and sorry for a different reason that this chapter is a fair bit shorter than others, my friend (Ashleigh) says this is better as just Bella for a change which is quite a compliment from her since she hates Bella!

Thanks for reading :) I don't like to beg for them cos I don't think its fair on you but I need some motivation to make me get the next chapter up faster, so please pretty please review and tell me your thoughts :)

Thanks again, Abbie :)

P.S. Bella's going be starting high school again in the next couple of chapters as well as Edward starting college. I'm a little lost when it comes to all this cos I went to senior school we finished school at sixteen. I don't know how american schools and colleges work so if anybody could help me out with just bits and pieces about it that would be brilliant. Thank you :)


	21. To College? Opinions Vary!

Thanks to anyone who has Alerted, Favourited or/and Reviewing in the time its taken to update! You're all awesome! Each and every one of you :D Thank you :D This chapter was at first unnamed, as you might remember, its not called, To College? Opinions Vary!, named partly by Kagome Hanyou :) Thank you :)

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Twenty-One

'To College? Opinions Vary!

**Bella**.

Its official, I am not a morning person. Yawning and scrubbing my eyes with the back of my hand, I rolled out of bed, narrowly missing toppling over the side and crashing to the floor, like the klutz that I am. The baby monitor by the side of my bed was what had woke me. Esme had clearly taken Kasey down to the kitchen and for some reason she'd carried the monitor along with her. I could now, hear her crashing around, singing along to the radio trying to make breakfast for us all. I smiled; Esme was exactly what I'd always thought a mom should be. She was amazing and I loved her like a mother. She'd been so good to me, the whole Cullen family had. Still smiling I hurriedly dressed and stumbled out of my room, down the stairs and into the kitchen.

Esme was hard at work when I entered. She had a lot more food to make today than she normally did and I knew, although she would probably refuse it, she could use my help. Esme and Carlisle had invited the rest of their family to breakfast before they all parted until the next family celebration. Emmett and Rose were leaving for their honeymoon in a few hours and they would be returning from the hotel where they had spent the night to join us and collect their luggage for the honeymoon.

"Morning"

Esme turned briefly; smiling and saying good morning back to me. I stopped to check that Kasey was happy, and when I saw that she was, I headed to Esme's side and offered her my help. She was hesitant to accept it, but caved when she realised how behind she was on preparing such a big breakfast. We got on with the task in hand without much conversation. It was only when Esme began to apologise for the way she had treated my mother that a full conversation began.

"Don't apologise Esme. I think you're amazing for what you said to her. You're far braver than me" I looked down at the plates for a quick second to serve up the bacon.

"I am not brave Bella. I'm hot headed, and apparently I have more of a temper than I once thought."

I laughed a little breathy laugh at her statement. Esme Cullen was by far the most calm and controlled person I had ever come across and she was in no way hot headed.

"You aren't 'hot headed' Esme, you are anything but." I laughed a similar laugh to before and continued "My _mother_ causes that reaction in everyone. I really wouldn't let it bother you." I turned away from the counter and over to the table, a plate in either hand. Once I'd placed them on the table she hugged me. I was a little shocked at first but I didn't pull away from her. It felt nice to have a hug from someone that wasn't a friend or Emmett.

"You are such a wonderful girl Bella. You know that don't you?" She asked once she'd let me go. I shrugged and moved around her to grab another two plates from the counter. She reached out and wrapped her hand around the top of my arm, forcing me to pause and face her.

"You are a wonderful, beautiful and caring young lady, don't you ever let your so called mother tell you otherwise."

I smiled not believing her but knowing she wouldn't relent unless I at least pretended to go along with the things she said. It wasn't worth an argument that I would lose anyway. Esme released my arm and went back to grab more plates filled with a hearty breakfast.

The last of the plates were placed on the table by Esme at the very same second that the door bell buzzed. Esme's faces mirrored mine when she frowned. All the guests that they were expecting had already arrived within the last few minutes, even Em and Rose where waiting in the lounge. It was only when I heard Emmett's voice a couple of minutes later that both me and Esme knew who the surprise guest was.

"Mom just go! She doesn't wanna see you!"

I didn't hear her reply but I'd heard enough. With a glance at Esme I moved around the end of the table and left the kitchen. Since the kitchen and the lounge were side by side I found myself in front of my mother within seconds of leaving.

"Can I help you?"

She looked nervous when she saw me. She glanced behind me taking in all the curious faces behind us.

"Maybe we should talk outside, darling?"

My eyes rolled at being called 'darling' but I followed her out onto the front porch anyway.

"What do you want?"

I kept my eyes trained on the wooden floor so I wouldn't have to look at my so called mother.

"I want to help you, darling." _There she goes with 'darling' again! _I laughed at her statement, laughed so hard my chest began to hurt with the effort. "You're so funny, I almost actually believed you!" I said, my now retreating laughter still lingering in my speech.

"I'm serious Bella; I want to help you," she hesitated "and your daughter." I froze. There was no way in hell that she was actually offering to help me. She'd thrown me out the second she'd got the chance so why would she offer to help me? It just didn't make any sense. I don't know what kind of reaction she was expecting from me, but I was pretty sure from the look on her face when I spoke next, that it defiantly wasn't the reaction she got.

"Fuck off! I don't need your help! And even if I did, I would rather struggle than take help from _you!_"

She looked hurt but I didn't give a shit that she was. "Bella you can't let you're little girl suffer through pride. Being a mom means –"

"I am good mom!" I screamed unable to stop myself, _how dare she insinuate that I wasn't? How dare she offer me advice or lecture me on what being a mom means? _"I put my daughter first for everything, which is more than I can say for you! Don't you dare try and tell me how to be a good mom because you haven't got a clue! I would never dump my daughter for a man, no matter how old she is! My daughter comes first, always! So you can't teach me, or tell me anything on being a mom because being a mom to you clearly doesn't mean the same thing that it does to me! Now just go home, go back to Florida and leave me and my daughter alone because we don't need or want you in ours lives!"

My throat hurt from shouting but saying what I had was worth the burning of my raw throat. I felt better than I'd felt in ages as I turned away from Renee and walked back into the house. Emmett met me in the hallway. I didn't get a chance to say a word before he pulled me into a tight hug.

"Em, I'm fine" I tried to say but my voice was so muffled against his chest he couldn't hear me

"It's alright Bella. She's going now; you never have to see that bitch again, got it?"

I nodded since I knew he wouldn't hear me. After a few more seconds of near suffocation, I had to pull away.

"Bear hug or what Em?" I laughed and he laughed with me "sorry, I just know how much our _mother_ has put you through. I wish you could've grown up here with me Bells. You wouldn't have had to known how horrible our mother can be."

"I'm here now Em." I said smiling, genuinely happy that I was in Forks and not Florida or wherever the hell mom would've moved us too next.

He beamed "Glad you are little sis, because between you and Esme's cooking I'm pretty much in heaven." I laughed and he led me towards the kitchen for breakfast with our family.

**Edward**.

Hangovers should come with a receipt because this one is a bitch and I want to return it. I hate weddings; I hate family gatherings of any kind. My headache is proof of how much I over-did it last night. My memories of the night before came flooding back to me as I slowly regained consciousness. I remembered Esme telling me to go after Bella and make sure she was alright. _Yeah that had been an awesome idea, hadn't it mom? Send the drunken horny teenage boy after the hot vulnerable teenage girl! _Really good idea that had been! I'd made of an absolute dick of myself coming onto the one girl I'd vowed to stay away from romantically. Oh god, she probably won't come near me again! How am I supposed to cope with the whole 'dad' thing if my kid's mom won't let me near her? She can't stop me seeing Kasey but it just makes things more complicated if we don't get along. I have thoroughly fucked up! I have just over a week before college and I need to spend most of it with Kasey since I won't see her again till Christmas. I was just lying in bed thinking everything over and waiting for the ache in my head to fade when the midget appeared in my doorway, "thought you might need this." Alice's voice was soft and she was smiling across the room at me.

She took a few short strides over to me and perched herself on the edge of my bed. She handed me two tablets and a cold can of drink, the cold aluminium was a shock to my system when it touched my palm but I needed the energy RedBull provided too much to care. Alice sat there silent while I gulped down the tablets, followed by a couple of mouthfuls of the fizzy sweet RedBull. I had never seen Alice this quiet before and too be perfectly honest it worried me a little.

"What's up, Alice?"

She turned her head sharply towards me and lied,

"Nothing, I'm fine."

If her words weren't enough to tell me she was lying then her tone and posture would've clued me in. I sighed,

"Come on Alice, what's eating you?"

She raised her eyebrow and I knew the reply that was heading in my direction, she always deflected with it when I used that phrase.

"And don't say Jasper!"

She giggled at that.

She went back to silence, lap staring pose, after her quick bout of giggles, until I prodded her in the back with my knee, from under my bed covers. She sighed and finally spoke up.

"I'm just worried that's all."

I frowned "about?"

Her look towards me told me what or more appropriately _who_ she was worrying about. I groaned, "Alice, I'm nineteen years old, you don't need to worry about me, I know exactly what I'm doing!"

"Do you? So what's your plan for Kasey once you leave for Chicago? Who's paying for everything while you learn all about an instrument that you've played for years?"

As much as she had a point, it still annoyed me to have all the things I hadn't thought about yet throw into my face prematurely.

"Who's looking after Kasey while you're thousands of miles away? Who do you think is going to do it, huh? Bella? Esme? Who? Bella's gotta go back to school in little more than a week, I can see her dropping out of school because of Kasey, and none of us want that to happen, but she's sixteen she wont cope with it all. She needs you, Edward. You're supposed to be around to help! You're Kasey's dad, and even if Bella didn't need you, your daughter does!"

My body tensed with anger. I was so wound up that I didn't even cringe over the word 'daughter' like was normal for me.

"I have to go to college Alice! I don't wanna be stuck in some crappy job for the rest of my life just because I knocked up some bird! I care about Kasey, even if she's annoying and demanding and she gives me a headache, I still a give a shit about what happens to her." Thinking about that little girl downstairs made me calm slightly, this tone of voice had made her cry so hard, I had to control myself through fear of being overheard by little ears. Both me and Alice were standing now, I might have gained some control over my volume but I had no control of over the other side effects of my anger and I glared openly at the one girl I had ever called my friend.

I forced my face to relax and collapse back onto my bed, defeated. "Don't ever suggest that I don't care, I never thought in a million years that I would but I do. She matters, Alice. That's why I have to go." Alice's eyes filled with worry and her body tensed.

"Bella's going to struggle."

I nodded, not likely that she would but altogether knowing that my family were here from her and Kasey even if most of hers didn't give a rat's ass about them both. "But even I stayed and got a job, I'd be working full time and would be too exhausted to help much then anyway. Forgive me but I'm not seeing much difference."

Alice moved to sit back down beside me and sighed, shuffling her little body a little closer to mine, resting her head on my shoulder.

"I'm sorry I upset you. I'm just worried that everything's going to get worse than it already is."

Well, that was a tad ominous especially coming from the normally cheerful midget. I slung my arm around her back and we shared an awkward, for me, hug. Alice loved hugs but I wasn't huge fan.

"By the way," She titled her head up to look my in the eyes "did you hear Bella screaming at her mom earlier? I mean the bitch deserved it but she could've kept her voice down a tad. It's a good thing Kasey was with Esme and not in the lounge or she'd have heard it all, probably would've scared her senseless poor mite."

My eyebrows rose, "She was yelling that loud? I didn't hear anything."

"Well she might tell you later if you ask her nicely."

I laughed before I could stop myself, "How much of a prick do you think I am? I'm not gonna ask her about that type of shit Alice!" Alice laughed with me

"You really want me to answer that?"

"Yeah, maybe not" I laughed off the insult, I knew in most peoples eye I was a dickhead but their opinions wouldn't change me because I didn't see anything wrong with my life "now, how about you fuck off so I can get ready?"

She smiled regardless of me telling her to 'fuck off', used to my way with words apparently, and waved me off, grabbing the empty can off my bedside table before leaving. My head was clogged up with thoughts about my imminent departure to college in Chicago. I knew that going to college would get me better educated, and make getting an enjoyable and well paid job, easier. It was for the best and the Roosevelt University had been my plan for a good couple of years now. I wasn't backing out just because my situation at home had change significantly. Mom and Bella would both cope fine with Kasey and I'd been home at Christmas so it wasn't like I was abandoning them forever, just a few weeks. _They'll be fine_. I told myself as I switched on the shower. _and it wouldn't matter anyway, I'm not giving this up._ _End of_. _They'll manage without me._ They'll have too.

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I know its been a while, sorry :( chapter 22 isn't far off done if that's any consolation. You've probably noticed this chapters missing a name :( Suggestions for it are welcomed cos I'm coming up blank for this one :( Oh and I just wanna mention that this story is now up on Twilighted. net :D After many attempts, its there! :D

Thanks for reading :)

Abbie :)


	22. The First Day

Its been a while since I last updated and I'm really sorry I had a lot of coursework and just a whole lot of crap going on :/ Hopefully this nice long chapter will partly make up for it :) Thanks, Abbie :)

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Twenty Two

_One week later…_

**Bella**.

Normally if I'd ever wanted to go out, I would grab my purse and keys and just go. Now it wasn't quite that simple. I had a push chair, a diaper bag, containing my purse and keys, and a very grumpy little girl. She fused all the way into town. I didn't have get much. I wouldn't need much for school. Just a bag and stationary. I was pretty sure I could get that in Forks. If not, it would be a trip to Port Angeles, which was something I didn't particularly want to do yet. Angela still hadn't said a single word to me since I'd had Kasey. Her cold shoulder hurt more than I would've thought. She was my best friend, and even though I understood why she was pissed, I couldn't understand how she could cut me out of her life so easily. I'd made a decision yesterday, that as soon as school started next week, I would contact her. I needed my best friend to get me through this. It wasn't going to be easy, that much I was certain of. Once the other students found out that I was a Mom, they would treat me differently. I was hoping, that I could make it a few days without anyone knowing, _slim chance I know_.

Kasey was still refusing to settle even after we'd been walking for a while. She had been fed and changed before we'd left the house and she had a string of brightly coloured toys strung across the top of her pram. I couldn't think of anything else to do or give her to calm her down and the noise was slowly driving me mad. Edward told me a few days back that driving helped, but I didn't have a car so walking would have to suffice for now. We made it to the small group of shops in around twenty minutes on foot. My sanity had thankfully survived the trip pretty much intact, much to my surprise.

There looked to be only one shop that would sell what I needed to buy so that was first on my list to try. It was a struggle to get the pram up the step and nobody came too help me at first. After a few minutes of fighting with the damn thing, a girl who looked to be a similar age to me saw my struggle and came to my rescue. I seriously could've kissed her. I was just so happy that someone had bothered to help me, I didn't notice the light of curiosity shining in her and her friend's, who appeared at the other girls side not two minutes after, eyes as they glanced between me and the pram.

"Thanks" I said with feeling. I really was grateful she'd helped me; I could've been stuck there for ages without her.

"It's no trouble, really. I know how hard pushchairs can be the first time you use them! You get used to it don't worry."

I smiled but when she approached me, asking if she could see the baby, it wavered slightly. Something told me not to let her but she'd been so nice I couldn't say no.

I nodded and her reaction caused my smile to return instantly;

"Oh she's gorgeous!"

A feeling swelled deep in my chest at her praising my daughter but I wasn't sure I recognised it however; the happy feeling was crushed with her next sentence,

"You're so lucky; the kids I babysit are never this cute!"

I didn't answer her, too afraid to say anything. I wasn't sure if telling this girl was a good idea. Both her and her friend, who was staring at me in a way that made me feel very uncomfortable, looked about the same age as me. Meaning they were both probably still in high school, the high school I would be joining next week. _No best not to tell them, _I decided before smiling and agreeing that yes I thought she was adorable too, and that I was very lucky to have her. My answer made the girl closest to me frown and I prayed that my words hadn't given anything away; maybe it was just the way I said it? I was sure I hadn't achieved the voice of a simple babysitter and was pretty sure that too much emotion had shown through.

The girl who had helped me shook herself and smiled, obviously ok to let it drop for now.

"I'm Jessica, by the way."

I took that as my cue to change the topic.

"Bella."

"So are you new around here? Cos I'm pretty sure I haven't seen you before."

The curiosity was back and I was nervous because of it. I quickly mumbled an answer,

"Er yeah, moved here around three weeks ago."

"Three weeks ago?" Jessica questioned to which I quickly nodded, she frowned with confusion "That's funny; I don't remember any 'for sale' signs around town, do you Lauren?"

_Shit! _I thought panicking slightly; _they wouldn't go there, right? Wouldn't question me further surely? They must have better things to do than probe me for information that they had no right to know!_

With one look at them I knew that I was wrong. They would go there. I hurriedly mumbled an excuse hoping to satisfy their curiosity long enough to disappear, "I moved in with family."

"Really?" Jessica looked taken aback by that statement, "Who's your family then? Do we know them?"

The girl named Lauren spoke before I had the chance too, "everybody knows everyone around here, Jessica you dumbass." Her gaze turned away from glaring at her friend to staring with just as much venom at me "but we don't know you." She stated "Care to enlighten us? Because there's something not quite right about you _Bella, _you're taking care of a newborn yet no one in town currently has a baby _that_ young. You can't lie to me. Jessica may be an idiot but I'm not. That baby's yours, ain't she?"

So that's what she'd been doing the whole time she was staring at me. She'd been working it out. My baby wasn't old enough to coincide with any of the recent births in Forks and because the town was that small, Lauren clearly knew it.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh I think you do-" I could tell she wasn't done, but her reply was cut off by the worst possible voice.

"Bella, are you alright?"

_It had to be him, didn't it? He just had to be appear and make everything worse. _I thought, bitterly. I wasn't given the chance to reply to him. Jessica beat me too it.

"Oh, hi Edward!" Her voice was practically a squeal of sheer happiness. Lauren rolled her eyes, before glancing between me and Edward._ Shit! Shit! Shit! Don't figure it out! Be a good dumb blonde! _I thought, then gasped when I felt Edward's hand on my back. Instinct told me to move away from his touch, but I thought better of it. Edward was going away soon. Why would it matter if some stupid bitches got the wrong idea? There was nothing involved with the gesture. Well, there had better not be anyway. I liked him too much already without him making it more complicated. _Wait, I like him? _Oh god. I felt my face going red. I knew I was attracted to him, but I was now praying it stayed was simply that. Nothing more.

"You being nice, Jess?" The smirk on his face told me, he knew she wasn't. She nodded, smiling. Y_eah right, bitch! _I thought, towards her. Edward looked down into the push chair and asked, "You gotta her to sleep then?"

The look on Lauren's face, made me hope and pray, that the ground would open up, and swallow me whole. It didn't.

"Yeah." I muttered, my voice hollow. Well, at least on Monday, when school starts there will be nothing to find out. Everyone will know, I felt sick at the thought. Monday was going to be hell.

_Monday. _

**Edward**.

I was leaving today. Leaving the town I'd grown up in to go to a huge, strange, possibly dangerous city, and I couldn't be more excited. It was verging on 11 o'clock and I was at the airport with Mom, Carlisle and Kasey. My, now month old daughter was cuddling herself up on my shoulder, lifting her head slightly to watch the people hurrying about behind me. I would miss her. Miss her more than I'd ever admit. But this was for the best. I didn't want to end up in a dead up job, I wanted to make something of myself. I wanted to make both her and Mom proud of me. Not that Kasey really knew what pride was, but whatever.

"_The 11:30 flight to Chicago is now boarding. Passengers please proceed to gate three for check in. Thank you." _

Mom looked up away from Kasey, and her eyes met mine. It was time to go. I swallowed. I wasn't normally a nervous person, but this was huge. I raised up of the bench and handed Carlisle Kasey's bag. She made one of her silly little noises and the pattern of her breaths changed against my skin. I held her a little tighter as we walked together towards the boarding gate. I would have to give her up soon. My chest ached, _was this how Bella felt when she gave her up?_ No, It would've been harder for her. I would see her at Christmas, whereas Bella hadn't known if she would ever she again. A quiet groan left me when we reached the boarding gate. We didn't queue straight away, staying off towards the left of it all to say goodbye. Mom had tears in her eyes, which I shied away from, naturally.

I shifted Kasey's weight and with some force, handed her over to my step-father. He smiled at me, sympathy in his eyes. He could clearly tell that I was finding this hard, and clapped me on the shoulder with his free hand. A man-up type gesture. I nearly laughed at it, if Carlisle; the man who was a hundred percent whipped by my mother and who would do anything his little princess, _Rosalie,_ asked of him, was telling me to man-up then I had defiantly changed.

I used to be such a normal guy. Having a little girl had completely changed me and not necessarily for the better. I hated that I was changing because of her, I liked who I used to be. _College was for the best, _my earlier thoughts came back to me then and I was suddenly agreeing with them in a whole new way. As much as I would miss her, I wanted to get the old me back. The one who didn't worry about whether Kasey got up to early or too late, whether she ate too much or too little. Part of me hated that I cared as much as I did, that I'd let this change me when I'd vowed it wouldn't.

Mom yanked me into her arms. She held me tight, and cried noisily onto my shoulder, until the women from the check in desk called out to us.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but we're closing the doors soon."

Her voice caused Mom to pull away. Her face was red with embarrassment, at being caught crying uncontrollably. Mom wasn't a huge fan of attention, but although she was embarrassed it didn't stop her from being over emotional and embarrassing me.

"Oh I'm going to miss you so much! My little baby boy!"

My eyes widened in panicked, _she didn't actually just say that in public, did she?. _I shot Carlisle a pleading look, but he just smirked.

He pulled her away from me eventually and handed her Kasey, directing her attention to her granddaughter. I picked up my carry on bag and said goodbye to Mom and Carlisle. Kasey wouldn't understand a goodbye, even if I forced myself to go through speaking one aloud. Mom moved Kasey around so she faced me. My plan to rediscover my former self crumbled with one look at them both. Mom held Kasey's hand up and made her wave goodbye to me. I think my heart actually melted and suddenly I didn't want to leave her, _stop this! Be a man, for Christ sake!. _A voice in my head stopped me from turning away from the boarding gate, and leaving to be with my daughter. _I 'll see her soon_, I told myself, as I handed the stewardess my ticket and boarding pass.

I never thought when I left for college I would be leaving behind something that meant so much to me. Apart from Mom, of course. When I went through the boarding gate, I didn't even notice how hot the stewardesses were, or how short their skirts were. All I could think about was that I was leaving my heart back in Forks.

_God, I'm such a girl!_

**Bella**.

On 12 o'clock Monday afternoon, I wasn't where I should have been. No, the bitches had driven me out of there. I'd been right when I'd thought they'd be horrible, only I hadn't really thought that it was possible to be that horrible to someone you didn't know. I'd never been bullied before. I hadn't know just how bad it could make you feel. The tears had started, before I'd been able to stop them. Now, I was sitting on the freezing, damp pavement, my knees up against my chest, where I rested my head to cry. I hadn't been there long when I heard the sound of a car approaching. I pulled my feet up out of the gutter, to avoid the vehicle, even if it wouldn't probably get that close, but just in case I'd rather keep my feet, thank you. I looked up, and cried harder. _A police cruiser! Brilliant, now I'm going to get caught truanting! Can today get any worse?_, the car pulled up not far past me, and my heart started pounded. _This couldn't be happening!_ I didn't want to let Emmett and Esme down. I'd promised them I wouldn't even consider dropping out of school, but by truanting I was probably going to get myself thrown out. I frowned when a voice I recognised spoke down to me,

"Bella, what are you doing out here?"

I hadn't heard dad's voice since I'd been in hospital. I forced my eyes to stop staring at his boots. His voice was concerned more than angry, so I wasn't scared. I was still probably in trouble, but I wasn't as afraid as I had been a moment ago.

"I hate school." Was all I could manage to say, before I burst into tears again. I sounded like a child, but in the end I still was. Dad wasn't good at situations like this. I knew that, and yet I didn't care enough to try and calm down. To my surprise, I felt his arm go around my shoulders. Here I was, still thinking that my dad wanted nothing to do with me, and he goes and comforts me when I'm upset. I frowned down at the pavement for a few seconds. My crying calmed as my brain started to think of other things, besides my dreadful first day at school.

"Wanna talk about it?" I could tell by the way he said it that he didn't, so I nodded. I felt his arm tense, but he didn't take back his offer to listen, so I told him just how bad my day had been, and why I was now sat outside in the rain by the side of the road...

_...Esme had waited outside the school, until I had the courage to move out of her car, which didn't come straight away. My heart was sitting in my stomach, it had been since I'd gotten in the car, actually seeing the school and all its students outside the windows, did nothing to help me. I'd leant into the back seat to say goodbye to my daughter, knowing I wouldn't see her for hours, caused my sunken heart to clench in longing. I didn't want to leave her, but I couldn't take her with me. I kissed her little forehead goodbye, thanked Esme and forced myself to leave the comfort and safety of her car. _

_I heard their whispers the second I stepped out on to the tar-maced ground. This was going to be bad. Worse than I'd predicted. It was Lauren's stare that terrified me, she would be the worse person that I'd have to deal with here. Whispers followed me wherever I went and I knew that she was to blame for them. I did my absolute best to ignore them, but it was always like their thoughts were being projected on loud speakers. It wasn't that simple. I would hear my name and turn through instinct, only to find a group of students talking not so quietly to one another. The first bell hadn't even gone yet, and I already wanted out. _

_It was so much noise, so much that I couldn't block out. I missed Kasey, I missed the simple, though not always easy, life we'd gained in the late summer. I missed it and I wanted to leave this horrible place and run back to her. I had to stay though, I needed an education to provide for her. Thankfully the bell rang across the grounds, taking the focus off of me. I sighed and headed to the office. The students here, except the freshmen, would already have a home room where they would be given their schedules. As I was new, I didn't have this, meaning I had to visit the student office to get mine. _

_The look on the receptionists face told me how good Lauren was. She stared at me, her disgust evident in her face. She looked to be in her mid-to-late thirties, possibly forties, her hair was red as a burning flame, sleek and straight. Her eyes were brown like mine, though they weren't warm, like I was told mine were. No, they were cold and flat. _

"_Erm, my names Bella Swan, I was told to come here for my-"_

"_Schedule, yeah I know, Miss Swan." She interrupted, scoffing at my name. She didn't like me, that much she made obvious. I didn't take her coldness well. After all the whispers and pointed looks I'd had enough. These people didn't know me and yet they were all so willing to judge me based on a rumour that I was a teenage mother. Ok, I was, but apart from Jessica and Lauren, they hadn't seen any proof to it. _

_I closed my eyes for a brief moment and took a deep breath. I was just second from screaming, all my anger at everything, at this women when the door opened. The cold air hit me, calming me enough so I wouldn't swear at her, but not enough so that I wouldn't snap at all. I didn't care that a boy my age stood in the doorway as a witness to my outburst. I didn't care that I was yelling at a member of staff, which would probably result in a detention. I just didn't care any more. _

"_Yes, and I'm guessing from the way you 'know' me, that that stupid blonde whore has informed you, as she has everyone else in this god damn place, that I have a baby. Well, so what! So what, that I'm sixteen and I have a kid. I'm a good mom, and I don't deserve to be treated like some slut, who had a kid because she doesn't know what contraception is. I didn't plan this, it just happened and you know what, I won't take any more crap, from anyone, so if you dare comment on my situation or give me one more dirty look then I swear to Christ I will get you sacked for professional misconduct, do you understand me?" _

_The women behind the desk actually went white at the words 'professional misconduct' and I felt brilliant. Sometimes having a father, who worked in the police force was helpful, even though I hadn't seen him in a long time, I still knew stuff about certain laws. This women was, by law, not allowed to treat me any differently to anybody else at this school, and I meant what I said. If she did, I would tell Emmett, and he would make sure she didn't keep her job for too long. _

_She visibly forced a smile to form on her face, and I smiled back, cheerful at my victory. _

"_Now may I have my schedule please, Mrs-" I started, looking down at her name badge, "Mallory." _

_She nodded, still smiling and picked up a piece of paper from the desk. She handed it too me, and as soon as I held it, spoke to the other boy in the doorway. _

"_Can I help you, dear?" She asked, with forced politeness. I was guessing, but I had a feeling that she wouldn't have been so nice if I hadn't been here still. _

"_I was sent to collect, Isabella Swan and take her to her new home room, Miss, but I think I found her." _

Crap! _I thought, face palming myself mentally. _It did have to be a guy from my new home room. I would have to face this guy for the rest of my schooling, _I thought, looking over at him. _

"_How did you guess?" I laughed, though I knew it didn't sound as a normal carefree and joking laugh should. I looked at him properly for a second or two. He wasn't too bad looking, with dark hair, almost black in colour and blue eyes that sparkled with laughter, even though he was only smiling at me. He was tall, and lean, with quite good muscles. _Bad thoughts, Bella! _I thought, and shook myself once to clear it. He looked me over in very much the same way I had him, and my face burned a humiliating red, when I noticed. _

"_Oh I think you made it pretty obvious. Small town, Isabella, everyone knows everyone. I didn't recognise you, and your also getting your schedule from the office, meaning you're new, so you're the girl I'm looking for." He explained, with a smile. I smiled back, genuinely glad he hadn't based his acceptance of me being who I was, because I said about Kasey to the vile woman behind the desk. _

"_So what you got first?" Diego, the boy from office, asked, once we left. _

"_Erm," I looked down at my schedule and answered "English." _

_He smiled, "Awesome, me too. I'll walk you." _

_I didn't want to refuse him, and I needed the help, so I followed him down the corridor towards the English department. _

_My day went slowly down hill from there. Diego was the only person who spoke directly too me for the first three lessons, and when another person did, I was wishing they hadn't. _

_It was in Spanish, a subject I already didn't like, that she spoke to me what everyone else was thinking. Miss Rossa, our teacher, made us work in pairs. The girl next to me, had seemed like quite a nice person from a glance. How wrong I was. I turned to her, a timid smile on my face, and began introducing myself in broken Spanish. _

"_Me es el nombre de Bella Swan, estoy diecisiete años__" _Me name are Bella Swan, I am seventeen. _I knew there were mistakes, I wasn't brilliant at languages. _

_She didn't let me continue. "__Yo sé quién es usted, ¿es cierto que tener un bebé?__" _I know who you are, is it true you have a baby?

_I sighed, w_ould I never be allowed to be Bella, here?_ Just the girl with the baby, for the rest of my schooling. I glared at the table top and nodded slowly, fed up with Spanish already, I ignored the rude girl next to me and simply began doodling in the margin of my note pad. _

_However, she was nothing, that girl in my spanish class, compared to what awaited me at lunch. I couldn't see Diego anywhere when I neared the lunch hall. It wasn't a particularly big cafeteria and if he'd been there like he said he would be I would have seen him. I wasn't sure I could face it all alone. My stomach growled with hunger but I would much rather be hungry than go in there alone. I moved to walk away from the door and unfortunately for me, turned around to face the one person I'd been hoping to avoid. Her face was twisted in anger, _

"_Bitch!" She spat, moving a couple of inches closer to me. Terrified, I backed up against the door, praying all the while that I wouldn't fall through it. _

"_You think you can threaten my mom, and get away with it?" _

Her mom? _I hadn't even meet her mother as far I was aware, and I rarely threatened anyone, that woman in the office this morning had just happened to piss me off enough to provoke it – _ahh shit! The receptionist was her mom, she just would be, wouldn't she? At least, now it made sense.

"_You vile little slut! She's allowed to show her opinions of you, you little whore! If you didn't want people to judge, you should of kept your legs closed! Or at least gotten rid of it like normal people our age!" _

_She crossed a line, and she paused like she knew she had. _Or maybe she'd simply said too much _I thought, watching her expression change briefly to guilt before going back to anger. I knew I should've stayed quiet but some little voice inside me told me to fight back with whatever I had. _

"_Like you did?" I muttered, half hoping she wouldn't hear it. She did, however, and fires spark in her eyes. I really shouldn't have said anything, I knew that after it was said and done. Her tone was sharp like a razor blade as she lowered her tone, and spoke,_

"_I suggest you run, bitch. Leave, now, before I really hurt you." Her voice was low and deadly. A little shudder passed through me and without thinking it through properly, just doing as she said, I moved swiftly past her and down the corridor. The only thought in my head, was to get away from this psycho before she did more than bitch at me. _

_I hadn't stopped moving until I'd found myself out here, on the pavement. _Where dad and me still sat now. He didn't say anything for a while, and I hated this silence that threatened to crush me.

"Well you had quite an eventful day." He responded to my retelling after a few long minutes. I nodded my head, not quite sure how else he wanted me to answer.

We sat silent for equally as long, as it had taken him to reply before. I didn't know what to say to make up for being such a crappy daughter and truanting on my very first day back at a new school.

"Tomorrow Bells, you need to show Lauren Mallory whose boss." I frowned, and he elaborated.

"Tomorrow, if she says a word to you again, show her all the things Emmett taught you when you were young. Make sure she knows not to mess with you." He sounded so like my brother, I was generally confused by the knowledge that this was dad taking and not Em.

"You think...you think I should hit her?" I stammered slightly, trying to get a grip on what he was saying. Dad being the chief of police, I wouldn't have ever thought that he would encourage violence. I guessed that normally, he wouldn't, but no matter what I'd done, it was apparent that I was still his daughter, he still cared for me, and he wouldn't let the likes of Lauren Mallory hurt me.

He smirked slightly, before he retracted his arm from around my shoulders and awkwardly climbed back up onto his feet.

"I think we should go get you something to eat, before we take you back to Esme."

Slightly shocked at the turn of events, I raised myself up from the pavement and followed after him with a smile on my face because of his words, he'd said 'take you back to Esme' instead of 'take you home' which was his way of saying he didn't see the Cullen's house as my home, which was good because most of the time, neither did I.

Home was where you had family, and although I had Kasey, Emmett didn't live there and I knew that I was living with them because I was the mother of their grandchild and had no where else to go. It might as well have been a hostel for how much it felt like home sometimes. I climbed into the cruiser beside dad, knowing I should be grateful that they were willingly to help me and not just Kasey, and shouldn't be wishing that dad hadn't been so heartless and dumped me on the nearest people kind enough to take over with me and my daughter. But I was. I wished that I'd gone to live with dad instead of grandma, all those months ago. Maybe dad wouldn't have been so horrid if he or Emmett had noticed something was up, instead of my pregnancy going completely unnoticed. They would have had more time to prepare for the blow, and it wouldn't have been such a shock. Yes, they still would've wanted to kill me and Edward (if they'd found out about him), but just maybe dad wouldn't have reacted as bad as he had, if he'd known all along that it was coming, that I was going to be a mom (if i'd chosen that path in the end, which I doubted I would have), whether he threw me out or screamed at me for a solid hour. I wished I'd done things differently, but I suppose that everyone wishes that at some point or another.

We pulled up outside a building, I hadn't been inside in years. The diner wasn't as empty as you'd expect at 12:30 on a Monday afternoon, but there was a good handful of customers occupying booths or tables. I walked quietly behind dad, and we sat at one of the empty booths, sitting opposite each other. We didn't talk the whole time we sat there, only opening our mouths to order and then eat. Dad paid, and we left as soon as he had. Although, we'd barely said a word to it each since we'd walked away from the side-walk outside my school, it wasn't awkward. We had always been like that, it had driven Emmett stir crazy to eat with us both, when I'd visited during all those summer's. It felt normal, to have a nice quiet lunch with my dad. I felt a little happier because of it. He pulled up and the parked the cruiser in the Cullen's drive way. He climbed out of the car and followed me up the stairs. I shouldn't have been surprised that he had, he would want to talk to Esme since I was home from school a good three quarters of an hour before she was expecting to pick me up.

Esme frowned, and I guilt surfaced when she did.

"Bella, what are you doing-Charlie?" Her sentence changed when she spotted dad,

"Bella had a little trouble at school, but its ok for now. She's fine or will be at least, I'll explain if you'll let me," Esme didn't say anything, but with sympathetic eyes she motioned for me and dad to come inside. I left them to their conversation and went to find Kasey. She was having a doze on her play mat, on the living room floor. Carlisle was sitting on the couch on the opposite side of the room to me, but I didn't notice him till I was crouched on the floor beside Kasey, gazing down at the reason for all of the torment I'd received today, I could so easily blame her for all the crap I'd had to deal with but then again, I couldn't. It wasn't her fault, I ran the tip of my finger across her little pink cheek as a show of affection. I loved her so much, I could never blame her for how horrible Lauren and the other pupils of Forks high were to me.

"Tough day?" Carlisle's voice was what alerted me to his presence in the room. I'd been so oblivious before, having eyes only for my daughter. I jumped slightly, and thankfully Kasey didn't wake. I nodded, and replied in a whisper "but she's worth it."


	23. Daddy's Home

**Hi everyone, I know its been a very long time and alot of you probably thought I had abandoned this story, I wasn't far from it, but after getting a couple of reviews recently, asking if I was continuing this story, I just had to give it a try. I will admit I have been very busy for the last few months with completing my apprenticeship, but I'm a qualified Teaching Assistant now and I have plenty of time to write. The story is probably going to head down a different path than I had originally intended, as will be a little clear after reading the first chunk. Oh and I'm sorry the chapters not any longer, and that it does end slightly randomly, there is a reason for that. **

**Thank you all for sticking with me and coming back to read more :) It means alot :)**

**P.S. Just had it pointed out to me, that I hadn't labelled the POV's or separated them, sorry about that, I had on my file copy, but it obviously didn't transfer over. Forgot to check, my bad :/**

**Abbiexx**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Three

Daddy's home

_Bella's POV_

The snow fell in a steady rhythm as winter took over the sleepy town of Forks, where I had now lived for 4 months. The winter scene outside my window, tempted me away from my bedroom, but there was too much to do. It was still relatively early, at around 11am, well early for most teenagers, but not so much me. Kasey was getting better at sleeping through the night but she still had me up often, which I guess was to be expected since she still wasn't very old. At five months, she was developing quickly in some ways and very little in others. She had been worrying me recently, the development book I had been given told me she should be able to recognise voices and sounds, but her recognition and hearing in general was practically non-existent. On the bright side, she wasn't far off sitting up on her own, and she would hold her own bottle if given the chance too.

I had taken to using bottles over breastfeeding; with school and my new job at the diner, I didn't have the time to be consistent with it. A lot of things in my life had changed over the last couple of months; as previously mentioned I was earning some money of my own, which of course all went on my daughter. School wasn't going all that well, however, Lauren was being even more merciless since I had followed dad's instructions and punched her. Turns out having a black eye makes someone hate you more rather than turning them afraid of you. I hated school so much because of her, if I didn't have Diego, who had turned into a really great friend, I probably would have given up on school altogether. I was failing most subjects, because I never had time to study. Esme tried to help me, but I wanted to spend my free time with Kasey not completing homework assignments.

School seemed more like a formality to me lately. I didn't want to be there, I wanted to be with my daughter, getting on with my life. I wasn't going to achieve anything, so what was the point in trying? I spoke my thoughts to Diego on the last Friday of term,

"_You're kidding, right?" he asked, looking annoyed at my negative attitude, "if you go into school with that attitude then you will fail. Besides, you're so smart, Bella. You need to put some effort in and you'll do fine."_

He was right, and since then, he had being coming over every day to help me catch up with the work I hadn't completed. We were getting there, but slowly.

In the short months that I had been friends with Diego, Kasey had taken to him as well, and I was getting more and more worried about how Edward would react, when he came home in a couple of days. Surely, he wouldn't be happy about their relationship, what father would be?

I hadn't meant for Diego to get as attached as he was, but he had ended up watching her a lot when I studied. I don't know why I was happy for him to watch her, but not Esme. Maybe it was because he never set up to babysit, we would all be in my room and I would get carried away into my studies and he would be left with only her for company. Much like we were today.

They sat on the floor together, playing with one of her toys; it lit up and made noises. She sat supported by his legs and smacked her little fists on the different buttons. Her eyes focused solely on the toy, as the colour changed from red to green, while I focused myself on completing the English essay. I heard her laugh and dropped my pen; I couldn't work with her making her little distracting noises. I had all holiday to catch up with work, I could spare a few minutes. I moved to sit on the floor beside them, and Diego looked up at me,

"You do realise, I'm going to have to steal her, right?"

I laughed, he always said this when she was happy, but the second she started to cry, he would look panicked and hand her over as soon as possible. This was normal with men our age, or at least it seemed to be. As long as she was cute and giggly, he was happy to watch her and spend time with her.

"Yeah, you just try it."

He laughed and I hit the yellow button, she giggled again and hit the same one. She looked up when she saw me move closer. Her smile was gorgeous and my heart melted a little.

"You're beautiful, you know that, right?"

She gave no reaction to my words, just like normal and just continued to smile at me, before hitting the green button again. She lost her balance slightly and wobbled, but because of Diego's legs and torso, she didn't fall. Her red hair fell into her eyes at the movement and I brushed it away, thinking it would need to be cut soon.

"Why, thank you," Diego replied, to my earlier sentence and I sighed.

"Your modesty astounds me."

He smirked, "You know, it's true, you can't deny my hotness."

"Your hotness?" I asked laughing, "now you're just making up words."

"Hotness is in the dictionary, therefore it's a word." He defended, reaching down to press the blue button on the toy, much to Kasey's delight.

Rather than argue with him, I got back up and went over to my desk. I sat back down holding the dictionary and flipped through to the H's, knowing I would find nothing.

"Ah, now that's cheating."

I skimmed down the page and found nothing, just like expected.

"It's not in the dictionary." I said, smiling at him. I liked being right.

"Well, you see, that dictionary is old. Give it here," He said, snatching the dictionary out of my hands and grabbing a discarded biro off the floor.

"Don't you dare deface my dictionary, Diego."

He didn't listen and handed back the dictionary with a scribble underneath 'hot' which said 'Hotness: definition = Diego.'

I laughed out loud, and smacked his ankle with the dictionary. Kasey giggled and brought our attention back towards her. She was still smacking at the buttons, and smiling when her favourite colours lit up. She favoured the green button and pressed it more than the others. It was interesting to watch her sometimes; she would react to sights over sound and would smile whenever someone she knew came into view. She didn't react much to voices, if at all. In fact, I was starting to worry that something wasn't quite right.

I was told that all mothers worry over nothing, but I had this nagging feeling in the back of my mind, _something's not right, something is wrong with my little girl. _I had been testing her every now and then. My thoughts on the matter drove me to do the same now; I reached over to move her toy out of her line of sight.

She looked up at me, a '_what did you do that for?' _look on her face, before she pulled a bottom lip and whimpered. Tears were imminent, and Diego looked at me for instructions,

"I just wanna see something."

He nodded at my words, and waited.

"Where is the toy, Kasey?"

I pressed a button, the green one and its noise sounded. She made no reaction, but began to cry at the absence of her toy. I gave the toy back to her, and felt like crying myself. She always gave a similar reaction. If she couldn't see it, then it wasn't there. I knew that this was the same for most babies, but surely she could hear the noise it made? Surely, the sound would cheer her up.

I looked at Diego, and he looked back at me. We had both been noticing it more and more recently. I looked away, "I better finish that assignment, I suppose."

I felt like crying, even though I knew it was irrational; she was healthy and happy, that was all that should have mattered. As I got up off the floor, Diego spoke, "she's alright, Bella. Try not to worry about it, yeah?"

I nodded my head, and sat back at my chair. _Try not to worry?_ Bit difficult. I had to though, for both our sakes. If anything wasn't right about my daughter, I would still love her, even if it would be hard to accept.

My assignment kept me distracted, until there was a soft knock at the door. I turned, and found Diego looking towards me. I looked over at the door and called to my visitor.

"Come in,"

The door creaked as my sister in law opened it from the hallway. Being nearly 7 months pregnant her bump was the first part of her I saw, so I knew it was Rose before I saw her face. Her face was flushed from the walk upstairs, her cheeks pink with the effort it had taken.

"Message from Esme, lunch will be ready soon." Rose said, smiling. She hovered in the doorway getting her breath back, until I asked, "Does she want us down now?"

"No idea," She replied, shrugging "might not be a bad idea though."

Laughing, I got up off the chair and Diego picked up Kasey from the floor, startling her in the process. She made a noise as if she were about to cry at the sudden movement, which silenced my laughter, but she never shed a tear. I held my arms for Kasey and Diego passed her over to me, before we joined Rose in the hallway. With my daughter on my hip I followed Rose downstairs.

It was just after lunch that I got the phone call. Sally, the middle aged woman who ran the diner, sounded so desperate when she called for help, that I just couldn't find it in myself to say no. She needed someone to cover one of the other girls, who had phoned in sick an hour before her shift.

"Do you just lack the ability to say no?" Diego asked, once I had put the phone back down, "This was your only full day off all week, Bella, you'll burn out if you keep working so damn much."

I shook my head, I was fine. Diego left not long after that, still a little mad about my lack of willpower. I should've said no, but I needed the money. I would always need the money.

When I asked Emmett if he and Rose could watch Kasey for a couple of hours, Esme overheard and realised where I was going; she wasn't happy either, I could see her feelings clearly on her face. She never voiced her opinion, not about this. Esme was always torn between her feelings of pride that I had managed to secure myself a job, and her feelings of worry over just how much I worked. I tried to ignore the worried glances in my direction as I lifted Kasey from where she rested on my hip, and handed her over to Emmett. She cuddled up into his lap almost the moment I placed her there, as I watched her do this, I began to regret the decision to go into work. I would have loved to get comfy on the sofa and watch crazy cartoons with my daughter. Unfortunately, the need for income would always have to be my first thought, without income I couldn't care for my daughter, although I knew that Esme would never allow her granddaughter to go hungry, it was still my responsibility to provide for her, and provide for her I would.

After changing into my uniform, I hurried through the house calling goodbye as I went. I stopped by the door to throw on my coat and shoes; I vaguely heard the phone ring in the distance as I stepped out into the cold.

The diner was busy, very busy by the time I got there. All the booths were full of hungry groups of people, some I recognised as regulars, and others whose faces I didn't know. Sally beamed with happiness when she saw me.

"Thank you so much for this!"

I smiled back at her, and replied as I moved behind the counter, "you know you don't have to thank me, Sally."

"Oh, but I do. It's rare that you get a day off, and I feel terrible calling you in."

I shrugged, unbuttoning my coat and hanging it up on the rack, before taking down an apron and slipping it over my head.

"Oh don't worry about it," I said, a smile on my face, before getting straight to work.

During my shift, both Dad and Diego made an appearance. Diego popped in midway through my shift. He'd stayed to chat, apologising for being a bit of dick about the extra work I'd agreed to do.

"Look, I'm sorry alright, it's none of my business if you wanna work more. I'll keep my opinions to myself in future."

Even though I knew that he would never stick to that, I got him a glass of coke and a slice of pizza, on the house. I needed Diego, I needed everything to be ok between us. I wouldn't survive the next two years in school without him around to keep me sane.

Diego didn't stay long, he'd only really stopped by to make sure we were ok, the fact that he'd stayed as long as he did was probably because I gave him free food. Dad had arrived not long after Diego had left. It seemed that afternoon everyone I knew was making an appearance at my work place. He'd been surprised to see me here; He'd thought I wasn't working today. He wasn't annoyed that I was here, like Esme had been. Dad still believed the same as Esme however, he was convinced that I couldn't handle all the work I was doing, but was content to not get involved and simply let me find out the hard way.

Seeing Dad at the diner was a normal occurrence, he hated cooking and would end up here nearly every night. Diego was a slightly rarer sight, but I knew his reasons for visiting which took away most of my surprise. The strangest visitor of the afternoon however, wasn't until the end of my shift. I was cleaning the counter top when the car pulled into the lot. I thought nothing of it, and cleaned until a man, not much older than myself, appeared in front of me.

I tried not to jump; I should've been expecting it.

"Sorry, gorgeous, didn't mean to scare you,"

I shook my head, dismissing his apology.

"You didn't, I'm fine. What can I get you?"

"Now that's a question," he replied, the flirtatious tone to his voice made me edgy. I'd been hit on by costumers before, all guys that weren't from around here, but still. I hated it when guy did this, why couldn't they leave me alone?

"I'm sorry; did I phrase the question wrong?" The cheerful smile I normally held when dealing with costumers had slipped away.

He looked shocked at my reply and tone of voice. He was obviously very like Edward, not used to woman rejecting them.

"No," he said and I could tell he was about to say more, but I cut across him.

"Good, so what can I get you?"

I slapped the smile back on my face, being the good cashier that I was paid to be. Not that I thought for one second that Sally would be angry with me for standing up to this man, she would have my back in the situation, she always did.

I stared ahead of me, keeping my eyes focused on the man, I was staring him down, as Emmett put it. He went to reply when a voice I recognised cut across him.

"Chris, the boots locked, I need my stuff."

I turned to where the voice had come from and my voice stuck in my throat. _What the hell was he doing here? _

"Oh shit yeah, here." The man, Chris, replied. He handed over his keys which gave me time to regain control over my surprise and find my lost voice;

"Edward?"

_Edward's POV_

The car ride home had been an epically fun experience, but I was tired now and I wanted to be home. When Chris, a guy from I'd met at college, had suggested driving home early, I'd thought it was a great idea and it was, in theory. We'd been on the road all day, and all day yesterday, taking it in turns to drive. Chris was driving now and he would drive the rest of the way, since we weren't far.

The car radio blared out music, heavy beats with no real lyrics as we drove into Forks. Chris lived in Port Angeles, being the reason he had asked me if we wanted to split the cost of petrol and drive home. He'd drop me at home and then he would head back to his. As the neon sign that identified the diner neared, Chris turned to me,

"You alright if I quickly get a drink, I've still got another hour to drive from here."

"Yeah, that's cool; I can probably walk from here, anyways."

The moment my feet touched the snow covered ground, I regretted saying I would walk. It wasn't heavy snow, but that didn't make it any less freezing. Chris was nearly at the doors by the time I had climbed out of the car. I went around to the boot only to find it still locked, I wasn't leaving without my bag that much was a no-brainer. I glanced over at the building in front of me and saw Chris talking to the woman behind the counter, ordering his drink. I could've waited outside, but it was fucking freezing, so with a sigh, I headed up towards the diner. My assessment had been wrong from outside, Chris hadn't ordered his drink yet, he'd been too busy chatting up the woman behind the counter. I would've laughed at this; he was so like myself sometimes, but the second I noticed who the woman was all thoughts of laughter dispelled instantly.

Bella stood behind the counter, which in itself was confusing? Since when had she been working here? Or working at all? She was politely listening to Chris as he attempted to flirt with her. She was having none of it, which was all that stopped me from doing something stupid, like punching my friend in the face. I hadn't felt possessive of her in a while, and I always felt stupid and confused when I did. She wasn't mine, and I knew damn well I wasn't hers; I didn't belong to any woman, least of all her. She hadn't seen me yet, and for that I was glad. I now had the upper hand in this potentially awkward situation. I addressed Chris, pretending I hadn't noticed her.

"Chris, the boots locked, I need my stuff."

He turned from Bella, and I felt her eyes on me as she too turned to my voice.

"Oh shit yeah, here." He pulled the keys from his pocket and handed them over to me.

I didn't leave straight away, mainly because Bella spoke up at the sight of me.

"Edward?" she asked, obviously completely thrown by the fact I was here. If she'd been here for a while, then her confusion would make sense. I'd rang a couple of hours ago to pre-warn mom I was coming home early.

"Yeah?" I replied, smiling at her.

"You're not supposed to be back yet?" She half asked, half stated.

"No, but here I am."

She was about to reply, when a voice over her shoulder called to her.

"Bella? It's nearly time for you to go, sweetheart."

An older woman quickly threw on an apron and approached the counter.

"What can I get you?" She asked Chris.

He placed his order and I watched over the woman's shoulder as Bella untied her apron, hung it up on the hook and pulled on her coat. Looks like I would have some company on the walk home, unless she'd arranged from someone to pick her up, which personally I would have preferred since I didn't like the idea of her planning to walk home alone when it was nearly dark.

Bella left the diner not long after we did. I lifted my backpack from the boot and threw it on my shoulders. With a quick goodbye thrown in Chris' direction, I hastily followed after Bella.

* * *

**Sorry I know its random, but it gives me something to continue onto the next chapter with, which I thought would be a good idea to keep me writing a bit quicker.**

**Thanks for reading, if you're glad to see a new chapter and you don't totally hate it, then please review :)**

**Thanks again, Abbie xx**


	24. Right to be Worried

_Bella left the diner not long after we did. I lifted my backpack from the boot and threw it on my shoulders. With a quick goodbye thrown in Chris' direction, I hastily followed after Bella._

Chapter 24

Right to be Worried

_Bella's POV_

I sighed when he caught up to me; I knew this was going to happen. I felt his presence beside me before he spoke.

"Since when did you work at the diner?"

That wasn't quite what I had been expecting him to say, but I answered promptly and truthfully as we walked towards the house that I shared with him and his family.

"I started not long after you left."

His next question startled me more than the first, "Why?"

He sounded genuinely curious to know the answer, and I turned to look over at him, completely shocked at his question.

"_Why_?"

"Yeah, why get a job, when mom is quite happy to pay for Kasey's things?"

"Because Kasey is my daughter and I will be the one to provide for her," I said it all calmly, much to my surprise. How could he say something like that? What did he take me for, some silly whore who had had a child just to claim money from his parents?

He said nothing, and we walked quietly up the road. Until he attempted yet again to get a conversation going, I wasn't sure why he bothered, I was quite happy to stay silent for the duration.

"So how's school?"

"Er…ok I guess."

The look he shot in my direction told me he didn't quite believe me. I wasn't the best liar; it had probably been blatantly obvious that I wasn't telling the truth.

"That bad huh?"

There was sympathy in his eyes when I glanced once in his direction.

"It's nothing. School's fine," I quickly told him, "I can handle her."

He fell silent for a little while; thinking. He didn't remain that way for too long, however, "Stanley or Mallory?"

I slowed my pace and turned to him, "Huh?" I questioned, even though I knew exactly what he was getting at.

"Which one is making your life hell? Jessica Stanley or Lauren Mallory? It's normally one of them. That or Bree, but from what I remember, she's pretty tame in comparison."

I didn't know quite what to say. He'd certainly hit the nail on the head, he'd guessed almost straight away who was the reason behind my reply. Well, pretty much. Lauren was the cause, Jessica was merely her little sidekick, but Bree Tanner (one of their friends) had barely said a word to me in the few months that I'd been attending Forks High School, I could honestly agree that Bree was indeed pretty tame compared to her friends. Diego actually had quite the crush on Bree, but she never looked twice at him, she had a boyfriend; Riley, to be completely fair to her. Diego always swore he'd end up with her one day, but as much I hated being pessimistic about it, I just didn't see that happening.

It took me a few minutes, but eventually I admitted, "It's Lauren, but honestly I can handle her."

"Sure you can," he said, but he didn't look convinced that I could, "if you need me to shut her up, all you gotta do is ask."

That made me pause; surely it wouldn't be that easy. He was delusional if he thought he could get her off my case. She had it in for me and there was nothing I could about it, except ignore her and pretend not to take her remarks to heart.

"Honestly, if you need help, just shout."

His words silenced me completely. He'd never before sounded this kind, this sympathetic and caring. _What the hell had they done to him at college?_ I'd figured it would make him worse, not change him for the better. I wasn't completely fouled; however, he could still be the same person as before, and had just opted for acting like a nice guy as his way of charming me into his bed.

We fell silent for the remaindered of the journey, the quiet between us, comfortable for a change. We were ten minutes away when my foot hit a practically solid slab of frozen snow. My body jerked at the collision and I knew I was about to fall. It had to be said, Edward's reflexes were pretty impressive. My arm was within his grip before I'd even really moved to far towards the ground. I was quite glad about this, as much as his touch made me uncomfortable; he'd saved me from a rather nasty fall. I would've been bruised for a while, if I'd actually smacked my ass on the frozen snow beneath our feet.

"Cheers," I said timidly, removing my arm from his grasp.

"No worries," he replied, moving his arm back towards himself and folding them over his chest. He almost seemed embarrassed at his quick reflex action, like he regretted reaching out to catch me. Not in the sense that he wished I would have fallen, but more because he had broken the careful distance between us. Our comfortable silence was gone, and now a short awkward walk awaited us.

Thankfully, it only took us around five minutes before; I was putting my key in the door and letting us both inside. The warmth of the central heating hit and my muscles, tense from cold, relaxed as the heat seeped through me. My first thought was Kasey, it always was. I headed straight to the lounge were most of the family could normally be found. It was just after four, and she was still awake, she would for another hour or two. With a gentle push, the door to the lounge opened and revealed the sound of my daughter's tiny giggles. The sound was music to my ears; Emmett grinned when he saw me and handed my little girl over to me, once I was in reach. She jumped slightly at the change in hands, but quickly settled on my hip, her tiny body modelling against the curve of my side.

"Hi, baby girl. Mommy's home now," I whispered towards her, planting a kiss on her forehead. A happy gurgle escaped her, as she cuddled up to me. In that moment, I was so happy to be home.

_Edwards POV _

It had to be said, it was strange to be home. Everything seemed different. I'd missed so much; Kasey was by far the biggest shock I got. She was so big now; taller and significantly chubbier than the day I'd said goodbye to her at the airport. She weighed a fuck ton more than before as well. How the hell Bella could walk around with her on her hip all day was beyond me. Kasey wasn't the same girl I'd left behind, and neither was Bella. Where Kasey had grown, Bella seemed to have shrunk; her body had retained the curves from before, but she had slimed down noticeably. This was probably due to how much she worked. During my first week back in forks, she'd never spent a full day at home. Part of me, was happy about this, I got Kasey to myself a lot, which after four months without her, I needed the time with her. It hurt to admit it, but when I first held her, I could see in her eyes that she didn't remember me. I hated to see that look in her eyes; did I matter so little that she could forget me so easily? A conversation with the ever so insightful Alice, had enlightened me as to why my daughter seemed to have forgotten me.

"_Of course she doesn't know who you are. You fucked off to Chicago before she was a month old, if you hadn't she might have remembered what you looked like." _

_As much as I hated to admit it, I knew deep down that was the reason. I knew fuck all about babies, but what she was saying made sense. Kasey hadn't seen me in months, and she'd been too young to really withhold a memory of me when I had been around to spend time with her. _

"_You know why I left, Alice. I have to go to college, and it's not up for discussion." _

_She sighed heavily and sat herself down at the kitchen table, gesturing for me to do the same. I took the seat opposite her and waited for her reply. _

"_You've got to understand though, Edward. Kasey's a baby, with a babies mind and memory, if you're not around every day, then why should she remember you?" _

_She looked towards me, sympathy in her eyes; she knew this was getting to me, but also knew that there was nothing she could do to help me. The only person that could fix this situation was me, and that would mean dropping out of college. _

"_This is gonna keep happening, isn't it? Every time I leave, she's just gonna forget me all over again?" _

_Alice stared at me for a moment, before saying, "Sort of, yes." _

_I had nothing to say, my head was full of thoughts, and I think Alice knew that. She stood up from the table, even though she'd only just sat down. _

"_I'm sorry, Edward," she said, looking genuinely sorry for me, "but you brought this on yourself. I warned you not to go." _

"_College is important, Alice." I told her, for what was probably the hundredth time. _

_She nodded, "I'm well aware of that, but is it really more important than your daughter? Because quite frankly, if you don't spend enough time with her, that little girl is going to grow up thinking Diego is her father, not you." _

_My expression must have portrayed my confusion as Alice picked up on it, "have you not meet Diego yet?" _

_I shook my head, my confusion turning more towards anger and jealously. Was Bella dating someone else? She'd kept that pretty damn quiet. "Why? Who is he?" _

_Alice sighed again, smiling sadly across the room at me, "You'll see." _

I'd been home nearly a week when Christmas Eve arrived. All of the woman in my family seemed to be obsessed with the fact that it was Kasey's first Christmas; they were all determined to make it special for her. I didn't really understand this fascination, she was five months old, and she was more concerned about finding random objects to chew, than how many toys she got from '_Santa'_. By the time I got up, mom, Rose, Alice and there other halves (dragged against their will, I have no doubt) had already vacated the building to fetch anything they may have forgotten from the shop. I probably should have gone with them, since I hadn't brought any presents and Christmas was tomorrow. I also probably should've cared about that fact, but I didn't. At the moment, all I cared about was breakfast.

My thoughts turned to tomorrow as I munched through a bowl of cereal and listened to the music I could hear coming from the lounge. Truth be told, I didn't much care for Christmas. We'd never had much money growing up, and Christmas had always been disappointing. Now I'm older, I get that mom couldn't afford to buy me all the things I wanted from '_Santa', _but when I was little I always felt let down on Christmas morning, and I knew it was because of this that I'd lost all feelings happiness for the day. It just wasn't important anymore.

"And what do you want for Christmas, Kasey?"

The music quieted slightly and an unfamiliar voice reached my ears. I probably wouldn't have cared about it or given any reaction to it, if the voice hadn't been male. Why was there a strange guy talking to my kid?

I placed the bowl onto the counter and headed for the lounge. I needed to know who this was. Bella's voice replied and answered the questions swimming around my mind.

"I don't think she understands, Diego."

_Diego_? So this was the guy, Alice, had been talking about.

"You never know, she may be extremely intelligent!"

I hovered at the door, waiting for Bella to reply. She never did.

"Bella, I'm sorry."

_Sorry? For calling Kasey intelligent? Why the hell on earth was he sorry?_ It wasn't exactly an insult.

"It's okay,"

"No, it's not," Diego told her, "I know how worried you are about her, you know '_problems'_, but to be completely honest, lack of hearing won't affect her overall intelligence."

My mind went into shock, as Bella's timid voice replied.

"You think?"

Diego nodded, a fact I knew because I had chosen that moment to push open the door to the lounge. They both sat together on the couch, and turned in my direction, but my stare fell on Kasey. She sat in _his _lap_;_ she was smiling and playing with one of her colourful toys.

_There's nothing wrong with her! She looks fine. _My head insisted, and if Bella had really been that worried about her, why the fuck hadn't she gone to Carlisle? I could feel myself getting angry, and turned my stare towards Bella.

"Bella, would you care to elaborate on what your _friend _was just talking about?_" _

Her body tensed, and she looked a little frightened. I should've known then not to continue, I needed to calm down or this wouldn't be talking it would be shouting, but my head was too angry to care. To pissed off that this guy had replaced me, in Kasey's eyes, and that there might be something wrong with my daughter and Bella hadn't thought to tell me, but she'd told _him._

"Edward," she said, standing, her voice soft and shy, "please, you need to calm down."

She moved closer to me, and I backed up. "No, Bella. You need to explain to me, what I overheard you're _friend_ say, now."

She swallowed, and stayed infuriatingly silent.

"Bella. Talk. Now."

"Dude, ease up, alright. You can't expect her to open up to you, if you keep screaming at her." His words pushed me over the edge and I snapped. He had no right to tell me to '_ease up_' or call me _'dude'_, I really hated that. I also hated that he had a point, but there was no way I would calm down with him in the room.

"Look, _dude, _why don't you just get the fuck out of my house, before I really hurt you."

Diego didn't look offended or scared off by threat; he was calm as he turned to Bella. He didn't have to say a word to her, "please just go, Diego, and I'll call you later."

He nodded to her and took Kasey over to her play mat in front of television, before Bella walked him out.

In the few minutes that she was away from me, I felt myself calming down. I sat down on the floor, leaning against the couch, watching Kasey. Her green eyes darted around the room, before focusing the bright colours on the television. The 40 best music hits of the week was hardly a good programme for a kid her age, but I approved of this much more than NickJr programmes. Some of those programmes did my head in. Kasey gurgled and smiled while Rihanna sang about a bed and pranced around in her underwear.

"You like Rihanna? Personally, I think she's pretty hot, but definitely not much of a singer."

A little giggle reached my ears, but it wasn't Kasey's. My mood changed instantly, Bella was back, standing in the doorway, and she explained her laugh by saying "I don't think Kasey is concerned about whether Rihanna is hot or not, Edward."

I didn't say anything back, and I heard her sigh. The room was silent, expect for the music, as Bella crossed the room and sank down beside me on the floor. Neither of us spoke for a few minutes, just sat quietly eyes on Kasey. After a new music video had started and then finished, I had to say something, we'd been sat in silence for far too long, I needed answers.

"What's wrong with her, Bella? I need to explain what you were talking about," I asked, making sure to keep my voice calm and not shout at her again.

She looked at the carpet, and my frustration started to build again, _why wouldn't she tell me? _

"I'm so sorry,"she said eventually.

"Why? Why are you sorry?" I asked, "I only want an explanation, Bella, not an apology."

She looked at me and nodded, before jumping straight into the reply, I'd been waiting for.

"I noticed little things about three weeks ago, not long after her doctor's appointment, but they'd said she was fine, perfectly healthy, so I put it down to paranoia and kept it to myself. I should've told you then, but you weren't here, I just didn't think to call you. I wasn't sure if that was okay or not."

She had a point, I hadn't exactly said that she could ring me, I'd thought that was a given, being that she was Kasey's mother, but that wasn't the point.

"I've been home a week, Bella."

She looked at the carpet again, "I know, I'm sorry, I just didn't know what to tell you. It's hard to explain," she looked up at me, right into my eyes, "I think Kasey's deaf."

"That's impossible," was the only thing I could think of to say. My daughter was fine, perfectly healthy. She was listening to the music on the television right now, for fucks sake!

"No, it's not, Edward."

She pulled herself up, and picked up the colour toy that had been abandoned on the couch. I studied every move she made, as she sat down in front of Kasey, and offered her the toy; Kasey's face lit up and she giggled and smiled as she hit the colourful buttons (which lit up and made musically sounds) with her little chubby fist. After a few minutes, she took the toy away gently and hid it behind her back, continuing to press the buttons to make noises. Kasey didn't look happy about losing her toy, but the colourful movements of the music videos caught her attention shortly after.

Bella stood up, her point made. I rose up of the floor too, unable to process what she was trying to show me.

"That doesn't mean anything; maybe she just doesn't like that toy enough to care."

Bella frowned, and stepped away from Kasey, "You want to know why I haven't told anyone about this, because I knew they would react like you have," she said, her face heating up with anger, "You asked me to explain, and I have, but you just can't accept that I may have a point."

Annoyed, I moved towards the door, "If you were so concerned, you would've told Carlisle. You were right before, saying you were paranoid. There is nothing wrong with her."

The song on the television changed and another song featuring Rihanna started, _turn up the lights in here, baby. Extra bright I want you to see this…_

"I am not paranoid; I'm telling you she can't hear. She doesn't respond when anyone she knows talks to her, which she should by now! I'm not crazy, I'm her mother and I know when something isn't right about my own daughter!"

Before I could reply, a tiny movement in the corner of my eye caught my attention and I turn towards where Kasey was lying on the mat. Her little body had gone rigid and she was jerking and shaking. Shock overtook my mind, and I couldn't process what was happening, I'd never seen anything like this before. What the hell was wrong with her? Something inside me, forced me to snap out of it and before Bella had even turned around, I ran over to Kasey and studied her. Her eyes had rolled back, and her body was moving erratically. I didn't know what was wrong with her, but I knew this wasn't good. Adrenaline surged through my body, and I ran towards the phone. I heard Bella scream when she noticed Kasey, but had no time to think of reassuring or comforting her, Kasey was more important right now. I dialled 911, I needed an ambulance now.

"I need an ambulance please, it's my daughter, I think she's having some kind of seizure…

* * *

Sorry, one for that ending, and two for not updating anywhere near as fast as I promised. I will be honest, I met a guy like a week after the last chapter, and he's quite distracting lol

Anyway, for those of you who are panicking, I have no intention of Kasey dying as I'm sure that's the main panic. Dispute everything she is ok, not instantly but she will be. I work with special needs children and my sister has cerebral palsy and seizures are unfortunately something that seems to be continuously in my face lately. They are fucking scary they first time you witness it, and even more scary when you have to call an ambulance at work.

I decided to put poor Kasey through all this shit, because this is something I understand relatively well, I don't have epilepsy and I don't know what it must feel like to suffer from it, but at the moment I'm not writing from Kasey's pov so that shouldn't matter too much. Also I wanted to make a point, just because they've had a kid young doesn't mean she's perfectly healthy by default, which some younger people probably think.

Anyway, rant over. Oh and lastly sorry this chapter isnt brilliant, apart from the last part it was terribly difficult to write. Hopefully it'll do lol

Thanks for reading :) Abbie :)


	25. Kasey's First Christmas

Hello again, I know its been ages. Ok, so more than ages, like decades, but yeah, sorry :/ Anyway, I realised earlier that I'd left you guys on a bit of cliffhanger, and thought, god I'm such a bitch, and got to writing. Actually surprised I managed to finish this, this story really is taking far longer than I thought it would. This chapter is a bit short, but hopefully, you wont hate for it. I do intend to skip ahead a little on the next chapter. Poor Rose has been preggers for nearly two years lol It's about time she had that baby. So that is where I plan to head to in the next chapter which should be a lot longer as there will be stuff to explain etc. Anyways, chapter 25...

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Chapter 25

Kasey's First Christmas

_Edward _

The ward was as quiet as hospitals could get, as the hands on the wall clock ticked closer to the number 12. It was late; I should've been forcing myself to sleep, as I had forced Bella too. She was slumped in the armchair beside the cot, where Kasey laid, the tiny oxygen mask still over her mouth. How the hell had this happened? She was my daughter; she wasn't supposed to be sick. Problems such as this had never entered my head when I had walked onto the plane all those months ago. What if this had happened and I'd been stuck in Chicago? What if Bella had been home alone or with Diego and he'd been the one to put my daughter and her mother into the ambulance. What if I hadn't been here? The idea was unthinkable at the moment. Bella had been in such a state, she wouldn't have been able to deal with this alone.

Bella stirred and I watched her for a moment, as she struggled to stay asleep. I got up out of the chair, slowly crossed the room towards her. I knelt down beside the chair and whispered her name. Her eyes fluttered open, obvious dark circles had already started to show beneath her normally bright eyes.

"Morning," she said, her voice heavy with sleep. I didn't bother to correct her and let out a short breathy laugh at her appearance, as she rubbed her eyes and sat up; her hair was matted and stuck up in every direction from sleeping in the armchair. She was either unaware of her amusing appearance or she just didn't care. I think I just needed something light and entertaining to take my mind off the health of my daughter.

"Is she ok?"

I nodded, "she's fine, Bella, you haven't been asleep very long. The doctor hasn't even been back around yet."

A comfortable, tired silence feel between us, until Bella spoke up, "do you think they can make her better?"

_I bloody hope so_, was what I thought, "they brought her out of that seizure pretty quick, Bella, you saw, and she perked up pretty much right away after it. I mean she was tired, but she was okay, good even. She'll be fine."

Bella's eyes met mine and I watched as a single tear escaped as she blinked, I moved closer to her out of instinct. I used to recoil from crying women, but god I hated to see Bella cry.

"Please don't cry, Bella, she's okay. She'll be home by tomorrow, and everything will be fine, I promise."

"You can't promise that," she replied her voice rough with tiredness and tears, "you can't guarantee it."

"Well, no but…I just know, okay? She's gonna be fine."

Bella looked unconvinced and I didn't blame her; I wasn't exactly doing a good job of convincing her.

She sighed and shifted to rest her head on the arm of the chair.

"I'm so tired, but I can't close my eyes without seeing her fitting all over again," she yawned as if to prove her point, "this is all my fault, I never saw a doctor while I was pregnant, never took vitamins or ate any differently. I stressed over pointless tests at school when I should have done my best to keep calm for her sake."

"You didn't know, Bella. You told me so yourself. It may not make sense, but I believe you okay. This isn't your fault; I don't want you to think that. I don't think this is your fault, so you shouldn't either."

Bella sat up and stared down at me, after a few silent minutes ticked by I had to ask, "what?"

"When did you change?" she asked, confusing me further.

"Huh?"

"I'm just curious to find out when you stopped being a wanker," she said with a tiny giggle.

I couldn't help but feel a little offended, but I couldn't hold back a laugh either.

"I don't know, I swore when I first knew about Kasey that I wouldn't let her change me, but maybe I have changed. I'm guessing you see this as a good thing?"

Bella smiled, "It's a vast improvement, Edward. You seemed like such a child when I met you for the second time, but I think we've both been made to grow up truck loads over the last few months."

"You've done a better job with all this than I have, Bella. You've coped so well, with everything, and I just ran away and left you too it."

Guilt settled in my stomach as I came to terms with what exactly I had done by going off to college. I had jumped at the opportunity to ditch responsible and leave parenting to Bella and my mother.

"I'm not gonna lie to you, the last couple of months have been awful. I'm failing most of my classes in school and I go to work straight after school. During a normal week, I don't spend that much time with Kasey, and I wish I could. Your mom is a godsend; she does most of the work, it's her you should be thanking, not me."

I was about to argue when the door slowly opened, the creak of the hinges made us turn towards it. Bella was out of her seat in milliseconds and practically pounced on Dr Richmond; the doctor assigned to Kasey.

"What's wrong? Is it serious? Can you make her better?" Bella rushed out questions, as I raised myself up off the floor. My own questions began to surface; questions that were silenced by six simple words.

"You may want to sit down."

Bella's face paled and I know mine did too. _Not those words, anything but that! _I panicked; those words meant something bad, something terrible. I did not want to hear them in conjunction with my daughter's heath.

"What is it? What's wrong with her?" I demanded, refusing to sit down._ If I didn't do as he said then the words would have no meaning,_ I thought, knowing the idea was ridiculous. Bella retreated back to the armchair and collapsed into it, once she was settled, Dr Richmond began to explain his diagnoses.

"We have reason to believe she may have epilepsy, however," he added hastily, "this is her first seizure and it could very well be her last. If that is the case then the chances are she is not epileptic."

I frowned, having absolutely no idea what 'epilepsy' was and what it would mean for my daughter. Dr Richmond seemed not to notice my confusion and continued on with his speech.

"Unfortunately, this isn't a condition that is diagnosed in a day. All we can do for her at this moment is to give you some medication to take home, once she's recovered. The medication is called Midazolam and it will hopefully bring her out of a seizure, should she have another."

Bella slumped further into the chair and was silent as her thoughts consumed her. This left me to question Dr Richmond's diagnoses.

"And what exactly is epilepsy?" I asked impatiently, he'd stated what may be wrong, but hadn't explained it.

"Epilepsy is a condition that causes seizures, it causes seizures because of a sudden excess of electrically activity in the brain, which in turn makes the brain lose control of the body temporally," at my blank look, he added, "the brain sends messages to the body, but they get muddled and this equals the loss of control and the seizure."

"And what causes this? It's not genetic, right?"

"It can be," Dr Richmond replied patiently, "in this case, that could well be the cause. There are other possibilities, however, we can rule out most. The only other likely cause is perhaps a difficult birth or a problem during pregnancy."

The room fell silent as I thought over what he'd said. Even if that was the cause, I couldn't blame Bella for this, she would most likely be blaming herself enough for the pair of us. I looked over at the plastic cot and felt the sting of tears behind my eyes; I fought hard and managed to force them back. A little voice spoke up from my left, and after what the doctor has said I was surprised to hear her speak, "This condition, it's manageable, right?"

"There is absolutely no reason why your daughter can't have a completely normal life," Dr Richmond replied his eyes brightening slightly, glad that he could report something happier.

"I have a question," Bella enquired timidly.

"Of course, it's normal to want answers."

"Is there any reason that this condition may affect her hearing?" Bella asked, surprising me by raising her suspicions.

Dr Richmond's eyebrows knitted together in a frown. I took that as my answer, but Bella didn't seem to notice his confusion, either that or she wanted a verbal reply.

"No, I wouldn't have thought so," he answered, "why do you ask? Do you believe there is a problem with her hearing?"

Bella nodded, "I might just be paranoid, but I can't stop thinking that something's not right."

Dr Richmond didn't dismiss her thoughts and said kindly, "Well then, when she has recovered from this, contact me here and we will run some tests. Now, I'm sorry to have to leave you with this news, but I must be going. Any questions, any problems, contact me. Night or day, I will be happy to help. This isn't the easier news to accept, and I understand that. A nurse will be along in the morning to discharge her."

Bella thanked the doctor, and silence returned once he'd left; both of us deep in thought. Kasey stirred inside the cot and my attention focused on her. I knew I should go and contact mom and Carlisle; they would be worried, but I needed a minute to collect my thoughts. They had tried to stay with us earlier, but a nurse had sent them away; only allowing Kasey's parents, aka us, to remain with her throughout the night. Carlisle knew the rules and had had to drag mom home, quite literally. Mom was unwillingly to leave us and Kasey, but she'd gone, only after making me promise to ring her the moment I knew more.

"I need to ring mom," I said to Bella, turning to gaze down at her, "what do I tell her?"

Bella sat with her legs curled underneath herself, a blank expression on her face, "the truth," she said simply. She stared down at her bent knees, and I knew there was something I had to do that was more important than calling my mom.

I lowered myself into a crouch in front of her, aligning my face with hers. My fingers grasped her chin gently, I thought she'd move away from me, but she didn't even try; the fight sucked out of her by the blow we'd both received.

"Bella, I need you to listen to me. This is not your fault. It will never be your fault. Whatever caused this, it wasn't you or anything you did or didn't do. I do not blame you and no one else will either."

I knew I sounded patronising, but I wasn't sure she'd listen if I didn't get my point across. Tears tumbled down her pale cheeks and I knew I'd touched on her thoughts. Bella was very predictable, if she could blame herself for something going wrong, she would.

"This was out of our control, nothing you did could've changed it. Do you understand that, Bella?" I asked, thinking she'd argue; '_that it was her fault and I was stupid to think otherwise_'. She surprised me by not replying at all, not verbally anyway. She stared into my eyes for a minute and I watched as more tears gathered and fell. Her next move caught me off guard and I nearly stumbled as she wrapped her thin arms around my neck and hugged me tight. Shocked still, it took me a minute to respond. If she needed comfort, who was I to deny her a hug? I would give her the anything if it would make her stop crying.

We held each other for a few minutes, before she tried to pull back. I released her somewhat, but didn't allow her to pull away completely. One hand rested near her hip, the other moved up to brush her appallingly messy hair face from her scarlet tinged face.

"Bella, this isn't your fault, not even slightly. I will never blame you for this, so you shouldn't blame yourself," I told her, wanting her to accept what I was saying.

She nodded awkwardly against the hold I had on her. Satisfied with her reply, I surprised myself by leaning down and pressing my lips against her forehead, before I could stop myself. Bella froze and I instantly let go of her, shocked by my own actions.

"I'm gonna go ring mom," I said quickly, excusing myself from the room.

_Bella _

_What the hell? _I thought sitting ramrod still as my mind tried to process what had just happened. Edward kissed me. Ok, not like he had before, but _holy hell, he just kissed me? _My confusion over tonight's events forced the other, more important problems, from my mind temporarily. _I can't do this, not now_, I thought. He'd just waltzed back into our lives and I wasn't going to let him do this. Kasey was the most important thing to me and she needed my full attention, especially after all that had happened today. The clock behind me ticked loudly, drawing my attention to it. 12:06am Christmas morning and where we on my daughters first Christmas; stuck in the tiny paediatric unit at Forks Hospital. This wasn't how I'd envisioned her first Christmas, not by a long shot.

Tears started up again, and I forced myself out of the armchair. I stood by her cot, slipped my hand inside to hold hers. Her tiny fingers gripped mine and she stirred, waking from her long sleep. She was probably hungry, she normally woke around this sort of time, but was I even allowed to take her out of the cot to feed her? Kasey whimpered her green eyes suddenly wide and alert. She looked up at me, before she realised there was something on her face; the oxygen mask. In an act of defiance that would make any parent proud, she wiggled to knock the mask off her face and her face screwed up as she wailed her annoyance at the situation. Kasey clearly wasn't too bothered by what had happened; her actions told me that she was actually more irritated that they'd dare to stick something over her face. After all she'd been through, she clearly hadn't given up, she was still my feisty little madam and no matter what life threw at her, I could see that she always would be. The thought filled my heart with hope. If at five months old Kasey was prepared to fight, then I couldn't give up, I had to fight for her. She would have a normal life; none of this crap was going to stop her. She was little girl and she deserved nothing less.

"You hungry, darling?" I asked the obvious, not expecting an answer, "or just pissed off?"

Her cries didn't subside, until I reached into the cot. I didn't care if they'd tell me off, or not. Kasey was upset and she needed me. I may not have a bottle to hand, but I'm sure I could get her one; she needed to calm down first though. I held her close to me, trying not to tangle the wires that attached her to a machine. She snugged into me and I sighed contently at the comfort her presence brought to me. I only held her briefly, as she fell asleep quickly at my touch. Once I was sure was out for the count, lowered her back into the plastic cot and I placed the mask back over her face. Her short bronze curls fell into her face and I gently pushed them aside. I leant into the cot and whispered, "Merry Christmas, darling, we'll get you out of here soon. I promise."


	26. Life Goes On

Your all gonna hate me now, as I'm skipping ahead again. This is three months after Christmas and the problems Kasey had; with hearing and her seizures are being treated, she has hearing aids - not sure I mention it, but she has partial hearing (she can hear bits) basically shes not completely deaf. Sorry that this story seems to have lost its way, I seem to have lost it a little bit.

The next chapter will continue on from this - It wont skip ahead anymore for a good few chapters. Enjoy :)

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Chapter 26

Life Goes On...

_I leant into the cot and whispered, "Merry Christmas, darling, we'll get you out of here soon. I promise."_

Three months later…

_Edward _

My fingers drummed against the counter top as I waited in vain for a costumer, any costumer, to walk through that damn door and give me something to do with my day. I should be grateful that I'd managed to get a job after I'd dropped out of college, but this was so dull, I often wished I hadn't. Alice had been overjoyed by my decision, Bella not so much. She blamed herself, she claimed that I was giving up my future and maybe I was, but I was simply choosing a different kind of future. To be completely honest, this wasn't how I'd envisioned my life, standing behind a counter as a cashier for a run down hardware store, wasn't my idea of a good career. I'd only got this job so that Bella would quit hers. We'd argued quite a bit about it, but she'd agreed that she needed to focus on school. She was doing well, better than I had at school and that almost made being stuck in this dead end job worth it, almost.

The bell over the door tinkled and I jumped out of my slouch; overjoyed to see someone, anyone other than my grumpy overweight manager. The person rounded the corner and I knew when I saw her something was wrong. It was just past lunchtime, she should've been at school.

"What are you-?" I started to ask, but stopped at the sight of her, "What the fuck has she done now?" Anger bubbled up inside me; Lauren Mallory was really going out of her way to make Bella as miserable as possible. Something told me, I'd be having words with that little bitch after today.

"They know," she said her brown eyes clouded with anger and pain, "they saw her new hearing aids and they think it's fucking funny!"

It was rare for Bella to swear and I knew that she was past her cut off point. She was pissed, angry enough to do some serious damage. I understood why she was here now, she'd left school early through fear of hurting Lauren.

"Sorry, I know I shouldn't be here," she apologised shoving her gloved hands into her pockets and looked down at her scuffed sneakers, "I just started walking and I ended up here."

"No worries," I told her, as a tiny part of me celebrated that she'd chosen to run to me rather than my mother. It had taken me a long time to admit that I still felt something for Bella, a very long time in fact, but I was starting to acknowledge the feeling that came with her company. I didn't like this fact, that I will admit, but this was because I knew that we would never be anything more than friends, if you could even call our relationship that or even call it a relationship for that matter.

I kept my distance from her and stayed behind the counter. She looked like she could do with a hug, but I didn't trust myself after the '_incident'_ at the hospital on Christmas morning. She hadn't brought up the subject and neither had I. I wasn't prepared to explain my actions or my feelings, that subject was better left alone. It was only after months of my brains subtle hints that had I realised what I felt towards Bella was more than friendship. I wasn't going to bring it up without cause.

"What happened then? What did she say?" I asked, knowing that talking through the problem would hopefully help her.

"She called her a retard," Bella whispered as if saying it aloud caused her pain, "I know it's the word some people use, but I really don't like it. When she said it, I just snapped."

I stared at her, analysing her face. Something more than words had caused her to skip school that much was now obvious.

I tried to coax more information out of her, "When you say you snapped?" I pried, hoping she'd tell me exactly what had happened.

"I called her a bitch and pushed her into the lab table," Bella stated continuing to stare down at her shoes, and I knew there was still more she wasn't saying.

"And…?"

"And I may have knocked her into a Bunsen burner, it was on a blue flame and, well, all that peroxide she must use," she paused rethinking her explanation, "let's just say she won't wearing her hair up again anytime soon."

My eyes widened and I fought the urge to high five her for finally sticking up for herself, but that wasn't going to help. She'd, albeit accidently, set Lauren's hair on fire. Biggies like that had some serious consequences. She didn't need me to tell her that though, this was obviously why she'd left. She didn't want to face those consequences just yet. Her phone buzzed in her bag and she ignored it, confirming my thoughts.

"You should probably answer that," I suggested softly.

She shook her head and whispered, "I'd really rather not."

Neither of us said anything, Bella knew who that would be; most likely it was my mom. The school would have likely called her and Bella's father. She was in trouble, big trouble, and she knew it as well as I did.

_Bella _

8:32am Monday morning and I should've left for school already, but no I was still here coaching my brother on everything Kasey would need for a day.

"Her medication is-"

"In the cupboard over the breadbin," Emmett finished for me.

"Ok, smartass. The replacement batteries for her hearing aids are-"

"In her bedroom," Emmett replied looking bored of the walk through now; maybe I had gone over everything too many times, but just to be sure.

"Where in her bedroom?"

Emmett sighed, "Top drawer of her dresser, in a little white box. You showed me them twice, Bella. Now get your ass to school, before I call Esme to make you move."

I held my hands up in surrender and moved over to Kasey, who was sat in her high chair, waiting impatiently for her baby food. I planted a kiss on her forehead, before saying and signing "goodbye."

"And make sure she doesn't get her hearing aids wet-"

Emmett turned to Kasey feigning disappointment, "Well, there goes the plans to take you deep sea diving."

I scowled at my brother, before retreating from the kitchen. I glanced at my watch, since I was walking to school; there was no way in hell that I was going to get there for first period. Oh well, no one like's Math anyway.

It took nearly half an hour to walk from the house. I really shouldn't have left so late. 9:14am and I should've been in class. I had two choices now, walk in late or hang out in the toilets until Chemistry. Option number two was the one I choose. I normally opted for walking in late, as my teachers tended to overlook my lateness. Only one teacher called me out on it, and that was my Math teacher. Hence why I was hiding in the loos rather than in the lesson, I spent my lesson reading my Math textbook locked in a cubicle. The end of the lesson approached and I was about to unlock the door when I heard the main door swing open, I shrank back into cubicle. Not wanting to bump into anyone that may not particularly like me, which just happened to be most of the school. It was only when I heard the sound of retching that I eased open the door. Whoever the girl was she was hurling and I was prepared to get the school nurse, should she need it. I couldn't just walk out, not while I knew that this girl was probably too sick to get help for herself. I approached her door and knocked timidly.

"Hello?" I called out, "Are you ok in there?"

"Piss off!" The girl swore before she began hurling again.

"I'll go and get the nurse," I turned to leave, when the door ripped open.

Bree Tanner appeared in the doorway pale faced with sweat beading on her forehead. She was one of Lauren's friends, and I instantly regretted showing her kindness.

"Don't get the nurse, I can handle this," she protested weakly.

"You know what, I don't care. Go back to chucking your guts if that's what you wanna do. Sorry, I gave a damn," I told her, heading for the door. I felt her fingers make a grab for me, and I spun around fast.

"Please," she spoke with urgency, "please don't tell anyone you saw me. If you do, I'll know." Her tone turned threatening.

I replied, "and you'll do what, make my life hell?"

I left then knowing I'd got my point across; there was nothing more she and her friends could do to me. The thirty hours I spent a week at school were the worst part of my week. Tormenting me brought them, what could only be described as, joy. Especially Lauren, I wanted to rip that girl in half every time she opened her mouth. When I walked into the Chem lab, I could tell today would be no different. She laughed openly when she saw me; Miss Collins shot her look, telling her to behave in her class. It didn't work, nothing that simple worked on Lauren Mallory. I liked Miss Collins, she was a relatively young teacher and she didn't take Lauren's crap in her class.

I managed to ignore her for most of the lesson and I was dead proud of myself for that small achievement. After finishing my experiment early I took the results over to Miss Collins.

"Well done, Bella. Brilliant work as usual," she praised smiling down at me. A triumphant smile spread across my face, and I headed back towards me desk. Lauren scowled at me when I approached, but when she realised I wasn't paying her the slightest bit of attention, she changed tactics.

"Did you see the '_things'_ in its ears?" She said to Bree, who sat beside her. Bree paused and didn't reply, I think on some level even she thought her friend had gone too far now. It was one thing to insult me, but nobody was going to insult my daughter and get away with it.

I froze and I knew she'd won, she beat me again. Esme had told me to ignore her, but Lauren had found a subject I couldn't ignore; my daughters disability.

"She must be some kind of retard to need those-" Lauren kept talking, but I didn't hear any other words. She'd gone too far this time.

"What do you just say?" I whispered my voice bordering deadly. The whole class fell silent, even Miss Collins paused, ready to intervene. Lauren turned towards me, surprised that I'd actually replied.

"I'll ask you one more time, you silly little _bitch_, what did you just call my daughter?" My voice rose into a shout and Lauren actually looked taken a back for about 0.3 seconds.

She hopped down off her bar stool, a sleek manoeuvre I would never master, and approached me.

"I called her what she is, a retard."

_I lost it. _

"My daughter is not a retard!" my voice roared at a volume I didn't think I could reach. The whole class was staring and I didn't give a shit. Miss Collins was slowly moving towards us, but I ignored her like I ignored the rest of them. My mind clouded with absolute rage, and I shoved Lauren into the desk with every ounce of strength I possessed. She smacked into it hard and shrieked as her hair made contact with the lit Bunsen burner. I watched in horror at what I'd caused; I'd never realised hair could burn so fast.

5:27 pm and I should've been at home, watching children's television with my little one before getting her ready for bed, but instead I was still at school; in the principal's office, no less, which was just where every student longed to be on a Monday afternoon.

"Miss Collins has spoken up on your behalf, Miss Swan. You are very lucky, without her testimony you would've been expelled, no exception. Your-" he paused looking over at Esme trying to find the right word to describe what exactly she was too me – "guardian made us aware that another student was bothering you, when this got worse, you should have come to us. We could've prevented this from happening."

"Bothering her? She's made Bella's school life miserable and you have done nothing to stop it. If anyone is to blame here, it is you and your staff!" Esme replied angrily. My principal looked uncomfortable at hearing Esme's dig, but cleared his throat and jumped to defend himself and the rest of my teachers.

"Unfortunately, Mrs Cullen, that is neither here nor there, Bella assaulted another pupil and that cannot be allowed," he said, with a finality that I knew he wasn't going to change his mind about punishing me for what I'd done. I expected punishment, I'd set a girl's hair on fire, even if that girl was _Lauren_.

"So you're going to punish her? And will you be punishing Lauren for provoking Bella? You had damn well better be if you think I'm going to allow you to punish Bella for sticking up for herself," Esme defended me, her anger obvious. I spoke up then, I deserved to be punished and Esme wouldn't be able to get me out it.

"Esme, its ok, I deserve it, I know I do. She may have provoked me, but I shouldn't have risen to it. I know that, I'm sorry," I told her, raising my guilty gaze from my lap to look at her.

"Bella, that's not the point. You are not to blame and I will not let this-" she eyed my principal with distaste, "-poor excuse for a man, who had allowed you to be bullied day in day out, treat you like a criminal. You did nothing wrong, that rotten little girl got what was coming to her and hopefully she'll have learnt a valuable lesson," Esme ranted crossly, before turning her gaze onto my shocked and offended principal, "you will not punish her unless you intend to punish Miss Mallory as well."

The principal went to argue, but Esme held up her hand like a mother dismissing a young child, and said sharply, "and this is not up for discussion. Am I understood?"

When he made no movement to debate further, Esme rose out of the faded padded armchair and motioned for me to follow her. I scurried to the door and trailed after her.

In the car, we were silent. The silence was not comfortable, but I didn't want to break it, as the only way to break it, would be to discuss what had happened back there. I wasn't willingly to go there just yet and neither was Esme. She'd lost her temper and she knew it as well as I did. I was going to be punished for setting Lauren's hair on fire whether she protested or not, but I was thankful that she had tried. Not many adults had defended me in the past and I felt more secure around Esme than most other adults in my life. She was more like a mother than my real one and her presence in the meeting with my principal had been extremely reassuring. Neither of us spoke during the ride home, we exited her car without saying a word to each other. I should have been worried by her quietness, but at the moment I was too grateful to care. I heard a Disney song playing as we strolled through the front door, and frowned, _why were they watching Little Mermaid?_

I choked on a laugh at the scene that greeted me when I entered the lounge. Edward's expression was nothing short of horrified, as he was forced to watch a Disney movie, targeted at young girls. Kasey was dozing on his lap, the noise not a bother to her. Edward looked relieved upon spotting me in the doorway, he hurriedly begged me to turn it off. This was just the kind of humour I needed to lighten my mood. I went over to him and plonked myself down beside him.

"Now why would I do that? I love this film!" I told him, cranking up my enthusiasm to make him know that I had no desire to watch the film, but was just intending to torture him a little longer.

"Please, Bella, don't make me sit through anymore of this," he pleaded with me. I still refused and giggled when he groaned and dropped his head onto my shoulder, hiding his face in my jumper so he wouldn't have to endure the fairy tale. Esme walked through into the room at that moment, and the light happy atmosphere disappeared as quickly as Edward jerked away from me.

"Bella, would you take Kasey upstairs, put her to bed. I need to have a quick word with my son," Esme requested, moving over towards us. I hadn't expected her to come out with that, but I gently but swiftly lifted Kasey from his lap, blushing when my arm brushed against his fly. I moved away from him briskly after that incident and disappeared upstairs to let them talk.

_Edward _

"What do you wanna talk about?" I said, after turning off the barf inducing film. Mom's eyes narrowed in an, _I think you know_, gesture. This time I honestly didn't know, however, and waited for her to elaborate further. She didn't and I was forced to bring up the topic again.

"Honestly, mom, what do you wanna talk about?"

"Answer me honestly, do you like Bella? Because the pair of you are getting pretty close lately, I don't want her getting hurt. You and your sperm have caused enough trouble for her."

I cringed at the word that left my mother's mouth, "mom, don't talk about sperm, for the love of god, just don't go there."

I'd been so caught up with her talking about my _stuff _that I hadn't fully taken in what she'd said before it. It dawned on me after though, w_as it that obvious? _I didn't love the girl, I wasn't sure if I was even capable of that kind of emotion, but I did want her, in more ways than one, that much I was most certainly aware of. Her arm had simply brushed my jeans a moment ago and I now had a throw pillow in my lap to '_rest my elbow', _or at least that what I was doing to try and cover up my need for a pillow, although, it did have to be noted that this conversation was helping immensely.

Mom ignored my comment and stared me down; trying to extract the truth from me with a single look. I wasn't going to admit anything to her, because there wasn't anything to admit. I was not in love with Bella; a relationship between us would be doomed for failure. Despite what she thought about me, I wasn't a cruel bastard, or at least not much of one, I couldn't get with Bella because it wouldn't last. I'd get bored, I always did, and I didn't want to hurt her, like I knew I would.

"I don't like Bella, not like that."

Mom frowned then her face softened, "I'm sorry, sweetheart, but if you really think that then you don't know yourself very well," she said gently.

"You think you know me better than I know myself?" I questioned, feeling like I already knew the answer.

"I'm your mother," she stated simply, getting up off the couch and heading towards the door, before adding, "Just don't hurt her."

Mom had said her bit and that was that. She left; leaving me alone with my thoughts. I stared down at the floor, lost in my own mind when she came back.

"You turned it off?" she asked, feigning sadness. I could tell she was smiling before I moved my gaze toward her. The corners of my mouth turned up to copy her expression.

"What did you expect? It was _Disney_," I replied, cringing at the word.

She giggled and fell into the seat beside me, and our evening continued as if my mother had never interrupted us.

* * *

Just want to say quickly, thank you to everyone who has reviewed this story - i'm sorry if I haven't replied, I try to reply to them all, i promise :) also a thank you for anyone/everyone who has continued to read this even though I have been on and off with my writing, for which I apologize.

Thanks again, Abbie :)


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